Mechanical Engineer, UAV Mechanisms & Gearboxes

Shield AI Inc; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 81,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI in San Diego, CA is seeking a Mechanical Engineer on the Mechanisms team to design, develop, and integrate mechanical systems for autonomous aircraft. You will work on gearboxes, gears, shafts, housings, lubrication, and interfaces, with guidance from senior engineers.

You will create 3D CAD models, drawings, BOMs, perform sizing, tolerancing, and packaging, and participate in prototype testing and pre-production builds. Collaboration across teams is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (or equivalent work experience).
• Fundamental mechanical engineering principles: statics, dynamics, materials, machine design.
• Experience using 3D CAD software.
• Ability to create or interpret engineering drawings.
• GD&T fundamentals understood.
• Ability to perform basic engineering calculations and document results.
• Hands-on hardware design and testing mindset.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills.
• Able to work with guidance in a fast-paced environment.
• Eligible for S//SAR level clearance desired.

Responsibilities

• Support the design and integration of mechanical mechanisms for autonomous aircraft, potentially including gearboxes and other power-transmission systems.
• Create and update 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, bills of materials, and interface documentation.
• Complete defined design tasks involving component sizing, material selection, tolerance analysis, and mechanical packaging.
• Perform foundational structural, kinematic, and machine-design calculations with guidance from senior engineers.
• Assist with preliminary finite element analysis and document assumptions, methods, and results.
• Support the selection and integration of gears, bearings, shafts, splines, seals, fasteners, and lubrication components.
• Help build, inspect, test, and iterate prototype hardware for functionality, performance, and reliability.
• Support pre-production builds, aircraft integration, and ground and flight testing.
• Investigate well-defined technical issues, document findings, and contribute to root-cause and corrective-action activities.
• Collaborate with mechanical, propulsion, electrical, avionics, flight-controls, manufacturing, and test teams.
• Follow established engineering, configuration-management, and product-release processes.
• Develop plans for assigned tasks, communicate progress and risks, and incorporate feedback from teammates.

Skills

Statics

Dynamics

Mechanics of materials

Materials science

Machine design

3D CAD

GD&T fundamentals

Engineering calculations

Documentation

Collaboration

S//SAR clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field

Equivalent work experience

Tools

NX

Job description

Shield AI in San Diego, CA is seeking a Mechanical Engineer on the Mechanisms team to design, develop, and integrate mechanical systems for autonomous aircraft. You will work on gearboxes, gears, shafts, housings, lubrication, and interfaces, with guidance from senior engineers.

You will create 3D CAD models, drawings, BOMs, perform sizing, tolerancing, and packaging, and participate in prototype testing and pre-production builds. Collaboration across teams is essential.