Senior Staff ECS Engineer — Aerospace Thermal Systems Lead

Shield; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 210,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Equity

Job summary

Shield AI seeks a Senior Staff ECS Engineer to own the Environmental Control System architecture for a high-priority program. You will lead trades, size systems, design hardware, manage suppliers, and deliver flight-ready hardware in a rapid-iteration environment.

The ideal candidate has 7–12 years in aerospace ECS, strong thermodynamics and 1D modeling skills, and experience with PLM and high-end CAD tools. Clearance eligibility is required for this role.

Qualifications

• 7 to 12 years of direct experience in aerospace Environmental Control System and vehicle thermal/fluid system development.
• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Deep mastery of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer applied to aircraft or defense systems.
• Demonstrated capability with 1D system modeling (e.g., Amesim, Flowmaster, or Python/MATLAB fluid networks) and ability to size systems from inlets to ram circuits to liquid cooling systems, air cooling systems, and more.
• CAD and PLM: 3D CAD modeling, routing, and drawing release (Siemens NX preferred, or equivalent like CATIA/Creo) with PLM workflows.
• Hardware and Supplier Execution: Proven track record sourcing COTS/custom aerospace components, driving suppliers to schedule, and assembling benchtop or vehicle-level test setups.
• Autonomy: Demonstrated ability to self-direct, prioritize technical tasks without oversight, and deliver functional hardware under tight timelines.
• Clearance eligible

Responsibilities

• Architecture and Trades: Lead ECS architecture definition and trade studies to meet vehicle thermal, electrical, mass, and volume constraints.
• Aerothermal and Circuit Design: Design and analyze vehicle air inlets, scoops, ducting networks, and ram-air cooling circuits to ensure adequate flow across flight envelopes.
• Thermal and Fluid System Sizing: Perform first-principles thermodynamic and heat transfer hand calculations, backed by 1D fluid-thermal network modeling.
• Component Sourcing and Vendor Management: Author technical specifications and SOW for ECS hardware, evaluate vendors, and drive supplier technical execution.
• Test and Validation: Define qualification and verification test plans, design test rigs, support instrumentation/DAQ setup, and execute test campaigns to validate performance.
• Flight Test and Troubleshooting: Process flight-test thermal and fluid data to identify discrepancies, resolve anomalies via root-cause investigation, and implement rapid design changes.

Skills

Aerospace ECS experience

Thermodynamics/fluids/heat transfer

1D system modeling (Amesim/Flowmaster/

ECS hardware sizing

SOW/vendor interaction

Self-directed ownership

Clearance eligible

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Amesim

Flowmaster

Python

MATLAB

Siemens NX

CATIA/Creo

Job description

Shield AI seeks a Senior Staff ECS Engineer to own the Environmental Control System architecture for a high-priority program. You will lead trades, size systems, design hardware, manage suppliers, and deliver flight-ready hardware in a rapid-iteration environment.

The ideal candidate has 7–12 years in aerospace ECS, strong thermodynamics and 1D modeling skills, and experience with PLM and high-end CAD tools. Clearance eligibility is required for this role.