Senior Aerostructures Design Engineer - UAV Platform

Shield AI; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Staff Aerostructures Design Engineer to lead the design and release of structural components for our next‑generation autonomous aircraft. You will drive CAD development, perform hand calculations, and ensure integration with aerodynamics, propulsion, and manufacturing teams.

You will contribute to structural validation, write detailed design documentation, and collaborate on cross‑functional reviews to achieve flight‑critical performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
• 8+ 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

8+ years of experience in aircraft

CAD tools proficiency

GD&T and DFMA

Technical communication

Security clearance readiness

Education

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

Tools

NX

CATIA

SolidWorks

ANSYS

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a Staff Aerostructures Design Engineer to lead the design and release of structural components for our next‑generation autonomous aircraft. You will drive CAD development, perform hand calculations, and ensure integration with aerodynamics, propulsion, and manufacturing teams.

You will contribute to structural validation, write detailed design documentation, and collaborate on cross‑functional reviews to achieve flight‑critical performance.