Senior Manager, Avionics Mechanical Engineering

About the role

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Manager of Mechanical Engineering to lead the team responsible for mechanical, thermal, and harnessing design in the X‑BAT aircraft and ground vehicle. You will set the technical vision, hire top‑tier engineers, and work cross‑functionally with other engineering leads to deliver flight‑critical avionics solutions from concept through manufacturing.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and design of all mechanical, thermal, and EWIS elements for ground and flight avionics on the X‑BAT program.
• Own a small team of thermal, mechanical, and EWIS engineers, establish leads and sub‑managers, and grow the team to meet short‑ and long‑term program goals.
• Develop standards and processes for thermal and mechanical engineering of critical avionics hardware.
• Partner closely with electrical, RF, PCB, reliability, supply‑chain, structures, and manufacturing disciplines to drive full‑scope product delivery.
• Deliver complex electro‑mechanical solutions that withstand harsh environments for flight‑critical avionics systems.

Required profile

• B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• 10+ years of experience in mechanical design around electronics and electrical systems.
• Strong experience with CAD software (NX, SolidWorks, CATIA or similar) for 3D modeling, drawing creation, and system layout.
• Experience working with electrical engineers to develop avionics packaging.
• Experience with finite element analysis (FEA), thermal analysis, and fatigue/lifecycle testing.
• Hands‑on experience with fabrication shops, contract manufacturers, and suppliers.
• Ability to obtain a Secret‑level security clearance.

Required skills

• CAD software (NX, SolidWorks, CATIA).
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
• Thermal analysis.
• Fatigue and lifecycle testing.
• Mechanical design for electronics.
• Avionics packaging integration.