Aerospace Performance Engineer - UAV & Flight Dynamics

The Aerospace and Defense Training Center; Dallas (TX); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI in Dallas is seeking an Aerospace Engineer to own flight performance, endurance, and mass properties for V-BAT. You will be the technical authority on aircraft performance, translating flight dynamics and environmental conditions into validated models guiding design decisions, payload integration, and autonomy software.

You will work across design, propulsion, guidance and controls, flight test, and go-to-market teams to improve capability and reliability.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• 5+ years in aerospace/defense industry.
• Understanding of fixed-wing flight dynamics, performance, and aero/prop fundamentals.
• Proficiency in analyzing large data sets to define envelopes and validate models (Python, MATLAB, or equivalents).
• Experience developing or maintaining aircraft weight and CG models.
• Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive change.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own flight performance, endurance, and mass properties for V-BAT.
• Develop and refine endurance, range, loiter, and cruise performance calculations.
• Maintain weight and CG model and report updates through design changes.
• Create and validate aerodynamic and propulsion models for guidance and controls teams.
• Collaborate with Mechanical and Propulsion Design to assess design impacts.
• Plan and drive flight test campaigns to validate models and envelopes.
• Contribute to RCA and corrective actions for performance issues.
• Define operational envelopes and performance specs from data.

Skills

Flight dynamics

Data analysis

Cross-functional

Communication

Education

B.S. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

XFLR5

AVL

Simulink

Job description

Shield AI in Dallas is seeking an Aerospace Engineer to own flight performance, endurance, and mass properties for V-BAT. You will be the technical authority on aircraft performance, translating flight dynamics and environmental conditions into validated models guiding design decisions, payload integration, and autonomy software.

You will work across design, propulsion, guidance and controls, flight test, and go-to-market teams to improve capability and reliability.