Power Electronics - Thermal Engineer Senior Staff

Shield AI; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 173,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI, a defense-tech company, seeks a Senior Staff Thermal Engineer in Boston to lead design and analysis of aircraft avionics thermal management systems, including high-power systems and energy storage. You will develop analytical and CFD models, drive cross-functional collaboration, and mentor engineers to ensure robust cooling solutions for mission-critical aerospace applications.

The role requires strong fundamentals in heat transfer and cooling, hands-on experience with CFD tools, and

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineering.
• Strong expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics.
• Deep understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and their integration at component and system level.
• Deep understanding of thermal management design elements including TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes, and fans.
• Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+).
• Proficiency with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar.
• Demonstrated experience applying first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of leading technical discussions and presenting to stakeholders.
• Proven ability to learn and adapt quickly to new tools, processes, and technical challenges in a fast paced, startup environment.
• Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Responsibilities

• Own thermal analysis and design efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics including custom power electronics.
• Develop and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFD
• Provide technical leadership in trade studies, system architecture decisions, and risk assessments
• Lead cross-functional teams designing power electronic circuits and environmental enclosures. Provide design requirements that impact circuit part selection, board layout, material selection, and other design aspects
• Drive test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental results
• Mentor junior engineers and guide cross-disciplinary teams in applying thermal/fluid fundamentals
• Communicate technical findings clearly through executive-level briefings, design reviews, and written reports
• Proactively identify risks, propose solutions, and influence electrical and/or PCBA design direction

Skills

Heat transfer

Fluid mechanics

First-principles reasoning

Strong communication

Leadership and mentoring

Problem solving

Security clearance eligibility

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

B.S. in Aerospace Engineering

Related discipline

Tools

ANYSYS Icepak

FloEFD

STAR-CCM+

NX

SolidWorks

Job description

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai . Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn , X , Instagram , and YouTube .

Are you a passionate and innovative thermal engineer looking to help develop state of the art aircraft? Are you eager to make a positive difference in the world? Do you want to work alongside mission driven and values focused teammates? Shield AI is just the place for you!

As a Senior Staff Thermal Engineer at Shield AI, you will lead the design, analysis, and integration of aircraft avionics thermal management systems. We are designing a high voltage, high power system using custom power electronics and energy storage. This role is best suited for an engineer who thrives on first-principles problem solving, is comfortable with ambiguous, open-ended challenges, and can bridge technical disciplines with strong communication and collaboration skills and the ability to simplify and communicate complex problems. The engineer will be a key contributor in shaping designs, mentoring peers, and ensuring robust thermal solutions that meet mission-critical aerospace requirements.

What you'll do:

• Own thermal analysis and design efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics including custom power electronics
• Develop and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFD
• Provide technical leadership in trade studies, system architecture decisions, and risk assessments
• Lead cross-functional teams designing power electronic circuits and environmental enclosures. Provide design requirements that impact circuit part selection, board layout, material selection, and other design aspects
• Drive test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental results
• Mentor junior engineers and guide cross-disciplinary teams in applying thermal/fluid fundamentals
• Communicate technical findings clearly through executive-level briefings, design reviews, and written reports
• Proactively identify risks, propose solutions, and influence electrical and/or PCBA design direction

Required qualifications:

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineering
• Strong expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics
• Deep understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and their integration at component and system level
• Deep understanding of thermal management design elements including TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes, and fans
• Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+)
• Proficiency with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar
• Demonstrated experience applying first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of leading technical discussions and presenting to stakeholders
• Proven ability to learn and adapt quickly to new tools, processes, and technical challenges in a fast paced, startup environment
• Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

$173,080 - $259,620 a year

Full-time regular employee offer package:

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:

Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.