Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer, Structural Design (R4443)

Shield AI•San Diego, CA

About The Position

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Staff Structural Design Engineer to lead the development of structural systems for our next-generation autonomous aircraft. As a technical leader within the Mechanical Engineering organization, you will drive architecture, design strategy, and execution for high-performance primary and secondary aircraft structures. You will operate with broad ownership across structural subsystems, influencing technical direction, integration strategy, and validation planning. This role is ideal for an experienced aerospace engineer who combines deep structural expertise with strong cross-functional leadership in fast-moving, mission-driven environments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
9–10+ years of experience in aircraft structural design with ownership of major components or subsystems through development, test, and/or production.
Deep expertise in composite and metallic aircraft structures, including material behavior, joints, load paths, and environmental effects.
Strong proficiency in CAD tools (NX preferred) and FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN, or similar).
Experience conducting advanced stress analysis, fatigue assessment, and structural optimization.
Strong command of GD&T, tolerance stackups, DFMA, and structural layout best practices.
Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional engineering efforts and influencing technical direction.
Clear, concise technical communication and ability to operate with high autonomy and ownership.

Nice To Haves

M.S. degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.
Experience on Group 3–5 UAV, DoD aircraft, or high-performance aerospace vehicle programs.
Working knowledge of aerospace standards (MIL-STD, ASME Y14.5, FAA FARS) and certification pathways.
Experience in vehicle integration, manufacturing liaison, and production support.
Familiarity with model-based engineering, digital twin development, or advanced configuration management tools.
Experience in failure analysis, test correlation, and rapid design iteration in high-growth or R&D environments.

Responsibilities

Lead the design and development of major structural subsystems across Shield AI’s next-generation UAV platform, including primary load-bearing structures.
Drive structural architecture decisions, load path definition, and layout strategy in partnership with systems, aero, propulsion, and manufacturing teams.
Own the structural design lifecycle from clean-sheet concept through production release, ensuring quality, traceability, and configuration control.
Perform and guide linear and nonlinear structural analysis, fatigue assessments, margin analysis, and design optimization under operational and edge-case loads.
Establish material strategies for composite and metallic structures aligned to performance, manufacturability, cost, and mission durability requirements.
Lead structural validation strategy including test planning, correlation, and design iteration across coupon, subcomponent, and system-level testing.
Facilitate and drive design reviews, risk assessments, and technical decision-making forums related to structural systems.
Partner closely with manufacturing, supply chain, and flight test to ensure seamless transition from engineering development to production and deployment.
Mentor engineers across levels and raise the overall technical bar through design reviews and analysis rigor.
Identify and implement improvements in structural design processes, analysis workflows, and configuration management practices to increase velocity and quality.