Senior Propulsion Design Engineer

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent, autonomous systems. Its products include Hivemind Enterprise—EdgeOS, Pilot, Commander, and Forge—as well as V-BAT and Sentient Vision Systems (wide-area motion imaging software). With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide.  For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X and Instagram.    

Job Description:

Shield AI is building intelligent aircraft powered by AI pilots, capable of operating autonomously in the world’s most complex environments. As a Senior Propulsion Design Engineer on our next-gen UAV program, you’ll lead the detailed mechanical design of propulsion-related hardware from mounts and inlets to structural interfaces, fuel manifolds, and ducting.

You’ll join at the earliest stages of platform development and will be directly responsible for translating propulsion architecture into manufacturable, testable hardware. This is a highly collaborative role that sits at the intersection of mechanical design, propulsion integration, and flight hardware validation.

We’re looking for a senior engineer with excellent CAD and design-for-manufacture skills, deep mechanical intuition, and a passion for building hardware that performs in extreme, real-world conditions.

• Own the end-to-end mechanical design of propulsion components, including engine mounts, ducts, valves, fuel manifolds, and structural interfaces
• Create detailed 3D models and 2D drawings in Creo or NX with full GD&T and tolerancing for flight hardware
• Work closely with propulsion architects and fluids/fuel engineers to convert system requirements into hardware interfaces and assemblies
• Optimize for packaging, weight, performance, and manufacturability within tight space constraints
• Drive design reviews, interface control documents (ICDs), and configuration management across propulsion subsystems
• Support the development of test fixtures and tooling for ground and flight validation
• Collaborate with thermal and structural analysts to ensure your designs meet performance and durability requirements
• Lead prototype fabrication efforts, including coordination with machine shops and vendors
• Document all design work, including material selection, justification of features, design rationale, and interface management
• Interface regularly with hardware test engineers to close the loop between design and real-world performance

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
• 8+ years of experience designing mechanical hardware for aerospace, UAV, or defense systems
• Expert proficiency with Creo or NX, including parametric modeling, assemblies, and 2D drawing creation
• Strong understanding of GD&T, tolerances, material selection, and aerospace manufacturing methods
• Hands-on experience with flight or propulsion-related hardware design, particularly mounts, ducts, and engine integration
• Knowledge of design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) principles
• Familiarity with mechanical stress, vibration, and thermal effects on propulsion components
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced R&D environment with limited initial requirements
• Excellent communication and documentation skills

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering
• Experience designing for jet propulsion or hybrid-electric aircraft
• Exposure to MIL-STD environments, DO-160 testing, or aerospace hardware qualification processes
• Familiarity with Thermal Desktop, ANSYS, or structural FEA tools
• Prior experience with in-house and outsourced prototyping and production workflows
• Active or prior DoD clearance (not required)

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Full-time regular employee offer package:

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:

Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.