Senior Staff Engineer, Mechanical & Actuated Systems (R6307)

Shield AI•Seattle, WA

17h•$200,000 - $310,000

About The Position

Shield AI is hiring a Senior Staff Mechanical & Actuated Systems Engineer to drive mechanical design and development for its autonomous UAV products. The role contributes to architecture of mechanical and actuated systems on the X-BAT platform and detailed design of complex mechanical assemblies, including uplocks, doors, flight controls, landing gear, and wing fold. The engineer will use design and analysis tools and work with internal and external partners to prototype, test, and release products to production, while helping ensure product performance, schedule, and reliability goals are met. The position owns the mechanical design process from concept through CAD design, analysis, tolerance stackups, material selection, and drawing release. It also involves structural and kinematic calculations, preliminary FEA, prototyping and testing, cross-functional collaboration, mentoring junior engineers, setting technical direction, and supporting builds, integration, and ground and flight testing.

Requirements

B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
10+ years of experience in mechanical or mechanism design.
Strong CAD skills; NX preferred.
Kinematic analysis and optimization skills.
Structural analysis skills using hand calculations and finite element methods.
FEA experience with modal, nonlinear and linear, buckling, and fatigue analysis.
GD&T and tolerance stack-up experience for mechanical systems.
Materials-selection knowledge, including alloys, heat treatments, allowables, and finishes.
Ability to work independently in fast-paced, cross-functional teams.
Demonstrated record of working hard, being trustworthy, holding oneself to high standards, and being kind to others.

Nice To Haves

Experience with UAVs, aircraft, or robotic systems.
Familiarity with electro-mechanical actuators.
Proficiency in FMEA, DOE, and root cause analysis.
Hands-on machine shop or mechanic experience, professional or hobby.
Experience with RTCA DO-160, MIL-STD-810, structural, or actuated mechanism testing.
Ability to thrive in startup, R&D, or defense innovation environments.

Responsibilities

Design complex electro-mechanical or hydro-mechanical mechanisms for autonomous aircraft.
Own the full design process, including concept development, CAD design, analysis, tolerance stackups, material selection, and drawing release.
Perform structural and kinematic calculations and preliminary FEA.
Prototype, test, and iterate mechanism designs for functionality and reliability.
Collaborate with electrical, avionics, hydraulics, flight controls, and propulsion teams.
Mentor junior engineers, help set technical direction, and promote technical excellence.
Support pre-production builds, prototype integration, and ground and flight testing.