Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, Aerospace Ground Support

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

Job summary

Shield AI is pioneering the development of AI-powered autonomous aircraft for national defense, pushing the boundaries of aerospace innovation. We seek a Staff Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the design, development, and testing of Ground Support Equipment for our next-gen UAS.

This role requires deep expertise in mechanical design, structural analysis, and aerospace ground systems, collaborating with engineering, manufacturing, and flight operations teams to deliver robust, field-deployable

Qualifications

• 7+ years of aerospace/ground support equipment mechanical design experience.
• Proficiency with CAD tools for 3D modeling and drawings.
• Strong background in structural analysis, materials, and ruggedized systems.
• Experience with MIL-STD aerospace ground support requirements.
• FEA, thermal, and fatigue/lifecycle testing experience.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile development environment and obtain clearance if needed.
• Experience designing deployable, transportable, field-ready aerospace support equipment.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop mechanical systems for Ground Support Equipment (GSE), including power units, transport structures, launch & recovery systems, and maintenance tools.
• Create detailed CAD models, drawings, and specifications for manufacturing and assembly.
• Conduct structural, thermal, and fatigue analysis to ensure durability and reliability of GSE in field environments.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate GSE with aircraft systems and mission operations.
• Perform trade studies and system optimization to enhance portability, ruggedness, and maintainability of support systems.
• Oversee prototyping, testing, and validation of GSE designs to meet military and aviation standards.
• Develop technical documentation, test procedures, and support manuals for field operations.
• Work with suppliers and manufacturing partners to ensure cost-effective production and sustainment of GSE.
• Support flight test campaigns by providing engineering support for ground systems and test operations.

Skills

CAD modeling

FEA

Structural analysis

Materials selection

Deployable equipment

Portability & ruggedness

Agile development

Security clearance (desirable)

Tools

SolidWorks

CATIA

NX

Job description

Shield AI is pioneering the development of AI-powered autonomous aircraft for national defense, pushing the boundaries of aerospace innovation. We seek a Staff Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the design, development, and testing of Ground Support Equipment for our next-gen UAS.

This role requires deep expertise in mechanical design, structural analysis, and aerospace ground systems, collaborating with engineering, manufacturing, and flight operations teams to deliver robust, field-deployable