Aero Structures Design Engineer II — UAV Platform

Shield AI; San Diego (TX); On-site; USD 88,000 - 132,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking an Aerostructures Design Engineer II to support the development of structural components for its next‑generation autonomous aircraft. As a key contributor on the Mechanical Engineering team, you will design and develop high‑performance structures from concept through production release.

You will collaborate across aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, payload, and manufacturing to ensure structural integrity, manufacturability, and system integration, while taking increasing

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
• 2+ years of experience in aircraft structural design or closely related aerospace structures.
• Experience designing and releasing structural components in development or production environments.
• Working knowledge of composite and metallic structures, including fasteners, bonded joints, and load paths.
• Proficiency in CAD tools (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, or similar).
• Understanding of GD&T, tolerance stackups, and DFMA principles.
• Strong written and verbal technical communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to operate in fast‑paced, high‑ownership engineering environments.
• Ability to get a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop structural components and assemblies for Shield AI’s next‑generation UAV platform, supporting both primary and secondary aircraft structures.
• Execute all stages of the design lifecycle including conceptual development, initial CAD modeling, detailed design, and drawing release.
• Perform hand calculations for stress or strain with limited basic FEA analysis, with guidance from senior engineers as needed.
• Collaborate closely with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, payload, and manufacturing teams to support system integration across airframe interfaces.
• Support structural validation efforts including coupon testing, subcomponent testing, and system‑level verification.
• Generate high-quality design documentation, drawings, interface definitions, and analysis reports in compliance with aerospace standards.
• Partner with manufacturing and flight test teams to resolve build issues and support hardware through test and deployment.
• Participate in design reviews and technical discussions, presenting work clearly and incorporating feedback effectively.
• Continuously improve personal technical depth in structural layout, joints, fasteners, tolerancing, and structural optimization.

Skills

Technical communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Ownership mindset

Ability to work in fast-paced env

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

NX CAD

CATIA

SolidWorks

Job description

Shield AI is seeking an Aerostructures Design Engineer II to support the development of structural components for its next‑generation autonomous aircraft. As a key contributor on the Mechanical Engineering team, you will design and develop high‑performance structures from concept through production release.

You will collaborate across aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, payload, and manufacturing to ensure structural integrity, manufacturability, and system integration, while taking increasing