Principal Thermal Engineer - Aircraft Avionics & Thermal Systems (R4353)
About The Position
Are you a passionate and innovative thermal engineer looking to help develop state of the art AI and aircraft products? Are you eager to make a positive difference in the world? Do you want to work alongside mission-driven and values-focused teammates? Shield AI is just the place for you! As a Principal Thermal Engineer at Shield AI, you will own and drive the architecture, design, and integration of avionics and aircraft-level thermal management systems, with opportunities to influence fluid systems and multidisciplinary designs. This role is best suited for an engineer who thrives on first-principles problem solving, can set technical direction for ambiguous, open-ended challenges, and bridges technical disciplines with clear communication and leadership. You will shape designs, guide engineering teams, and deliver robust thermal solutions that meet mission-critical aerospace requirements.
Requirements
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
- Minimum 12 years of professional experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineering.
- Deep expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics.
- Advanced understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and their integration at the component and system level.
- Advanced knowledge of thermal management design elements including TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes, and fans.
- Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+).
- Proficiency with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar.
- Demonstrated ability to apply first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems.
- Strong communication and leadership skills, with experience presenting to executives and customers.
Nice To Haves
- M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering discipline.
- Extensive experience with high-altitude aircraft avionics cooling and thermal design.
- Familiarity with aircraft integration constraints (power, weight, volume, maintainability, safety).
- Hands-on experience with thermal and fluid system testing, instrumentation, and validation.
- Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods relevant to aerospace thermal management.
- Experience guiding trade studies, proposals, and customer interactions in aerospace or defense programs.
- Background in multi-disciplinary system integration, spanning avionics, fluid systems, and systems engineering.
Responsibilities
- Lead thermal analysis and design efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics and aircraft-level thermal/fluid systems.
- Architect and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFD.
- Provide leadership in trade studies, system architecture decisions, and technical risk assessments.
- Define and oversee test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental results.
- Mentor and guide cross-disciplinary teams in applying thermal/fluid fundamentals.
- Communicate technical findings through executive-level briefings, design reviews, and technical reports.
- Proactively identify program risks, propose solutions, and influence avionics and PCBA design direction.
- Represent Shield AI in technical reviews, proposals, and customer interactions.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Number of Employees
1,001-5,000 employees
