Senior Staff Aerostructures Design Engineer (R5846)

Shield AI · Dallas, Texas

  • Senior
  • Full-time
  • $170,000 – $260,000
  • Posted 2026-09-24
  • Confirmed live on 25 September 2026

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Job description

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Job Description:
Shield AI is seeking a Senior Staff Aerostructures Design Engineer to play a critical role in the development of structural components for our next-generation autonomous aircraft. As a senior member of the Mechanical Engineering team, you will own the design and development of high-performance structural systems, from clean-sheet concepts to production-ready hardware.
 
You’ll work across disciplines to ensure structural integrity, manufacturability, and mission-readiness in one of the most advanced autonomous aircraft platforms being built today. This role is ideal for an experienced aerospace mechanical engineer who thrives in fast-paced, high-ownership environments and is passionate about building systems that matter.

What you'll do:
• Lead the design and development of structural components and assemblies for Shield AI’s next-gen UAV platform, with a focus on primary and secondary aircraft structures.

• Own the structural design lifecycle including concept generation, CAD modeling, detail design, and drawing release, ensuring high quality and traceability.

• Use FEA tools to perform and guide linear and nonlinear structural analysis, stress analysis, and margin assessment under operational loads and edge cases.

• Work closely with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, payload, and manufacturing teams to ensure seamless system integration across airframe and subsystem interfaces.

• Support and lead efforts in material selection, focusing on composites, aluminum alloys, and advanced manufacturing approaches suited to mission and environment.

• Participate in and lead design reviews, architecture discussions, and technical decision-making forums related to structural systems.

• Oversee the design and execution of structural validation testing, including coupon-level, subcomponent, and full-system testing.

• Guide the development of design documentation, analysis reports, interface definitions, and verification plans in compliance with MIL-STD, FAA, and internal Shield AI standards.

• Mentor junior engineers and review team members’ work for technical rigor, performance, and manufacturability.

• Collaborate with the manufacturing and flight test teams to transition designs from engineering to production and field deployment.

• Identify opportunities to improve design processes, configuration management, and team workflows for increased engineering velocity and design quality.

Required qualifications:
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.

• 10+ years of experience in aircraft structural design, with demonstrated ownership of components or systems in development, test, or production.

• Deep understanding of composite and metallic structures, including material behavior, joints, and thermal/environmental effects.

• Expertise in CAD tools (NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks) and FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN, or similar).

• Experience conducting or overseeing stress analysis, fatigue analysis, and design optimization.

• Strong working knowledge of DFMA, GD&T, tolerance stackups, and structural layout principles.

• Clear, concise technical communication skills and experience leading cross-functional engineering efforts.

• A track record of technical excellence, high ownership, and a mission-driven mindset in challenging engineering environments.

• Ability to get a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Preferred qualifications:
• M.S. degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.

• Strong NX CAD skills

• Experience supporting or leading Group 3–5 UAV, DoD aircraft, or high-performance aerospace vehicle programs.

• Knowledge of aerospace standards (MIL-STD, ASME Y14.5, FAA FARS) and certification pathways.

• Prior experience in flight vehicle integration, manufacturing liaison, or production support.

• Familiarity with model-based engineering, digital twin development, or configuration management tools.

• Demonstrated experience in failure analysis, design iteration, and test correlation.

• Previous work in startup, R&D, or high-growth defense environments where agility and innovation are key.

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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

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