Principal Engineer, Survivability (R4608)

Shield AI•San Diego, CA

19h•$200,000 - $310,000

About The Position

At Shield AI, we're building the most intelligent autonomous aircraft ever deployed. As we push the boundaries of what’s possible in contested environments, we are looking for a Survivability Engineer to shape and optimize the low observable (LO) performance of our next-generation autonomous aircraft. This role is ideal for an experienced engineer with expertise in radar cross-section (RCS) shaping, LO materials, and electromagnetic signature modeling who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. You’ll work across disciplines to ensure our aircraft can survive, evade, and complete missions in highly contested airspace.

Requirements

B.S. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline.
10+ years of hands-on experience in LO or survivability engineering, preferably on tactical aircraft, UAVs, or stealth systems.
Proficiency with EM simulation tools such as HFSS, CST, Xpatch, or SENTRi.
Strong understanding of RCS shaping principles, edge treatments, cavity suppression, and materials integration.
Practical experience with LO testing methods and RCS measurement equipment.
Familiarity with radar-absorbing materials (RAM), LO coatings, and structural LO trade studies.
Solid collaboration and communication skills with the ability to work across design, test, and manufacturing teams.
U.S. Citizenship and active Secret clearance required.

Nice To Haves

Experience with military UAV platforms or 5th-gen fighter programs.
Background in survivability analysis in contested environments (e.g., IADS, radar networks).
Familiarity with platform CONOPS, threat modeling, and mission-level survivability assessments.
Ability to contribute to the design, test, and fielding of a fully integrated LO platform.
Active Top Secret or SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

Design and optimize low observable (LO) features across the airframe focusing on shaping, edge treatments, radar-absorbing materials, and subsystem integration.
Conduct modeling and simulation of electromagnetic signatures using industry-standard tools such as HFSS, CST Studio Suite, Xpatch, and SENTRi.
Work with multidisciplinary teams in propulsion, avionics, structures, and AI to ensure survivability is baked into the system architecture from day one.
Lead or support signature testing efforts, including indoor and outdoor RCS range tests, validation campaigns, and supplier-level hardware evaluations.
Translate mission threats and requirements into survivability features that address RCS, thermal, visual, and acoustic observability constraints.
Partner with materials scientists to mature radar-absorbing coatings and structural RAM for manufacturability and field durability.
Support internal and customer assessments, threat modeling reviews, and milestone decisions throughout the program lifecycle.

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