Staff Aerostructures Design Engineer

About the role

Shield AI is looking for a Staff Aerostructures Design Engineer to lead the design of structural components for its next‑generation autonomous aircraft. The role sits within the Mechanical Engineering team and covers the full product lifecycle from concept through production release, ensuring structural integrity and manufacturability.

Key responsibilities

• Design and develop primary and secondary aircraft structures and assemblies for the UAV platform.
• Create and release detailed CAD models, drawings, and interface definitions.
• Perform hand calculations and limited basic FEA to assess stress, strain, and load paths.
• Collaborate with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, payload, and manufacturing teams to integrate structures across airframe interfaces.
• Support structural validation through coupon, sub‑component, and system‑level testing.
• Generate design documentation and analysis reports in compliance with aerospace standards.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• 8+ years of experience in aircraft structural design, including release of components in development or production.
• Hands‑on experience with composite and metallic structures, fasteners, bonded joints, and load path analysis.
• Strong written and verbal technical communication skills and ability to work in a fast‑paced, high‑ownership environment.

Required skills

• Proficiency with CAD tools such as NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks.
• Knowledge of GD&T, tolerance stack‑ups, and DFMA principles.
• Experience with hand calculations and basic FEA (ANSYS, Abaqus, or NASTRAN).
• Understanding of composite and metallic structural design.