Senior Staff UAV Mechanical & Actuated Systems Engineer

Frontdoor Defense; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 310,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary within range + Bonus + Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Staff Mechanical & Actuated Systems Engineer to own the mechanical design of X-BAT autonomous UAVs from concept to production. You will architect electro-mechanical systems, develop uplocks, doors, flight controls, landing gear, and wing fold, and collaborate to prototype, test, and release hardware.

You will lead design reviews, perform structural and kinematic analyses, mentor junior engineers, and support pre‑production builds and flight testing in a fast-paced,

Qualifications

• Degree: B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering
• 10+ years in mechanical or mechanism design
• Strong CAD skills (NX preferred)
• Kinematic analysis and optimization
• Structural analysis using hand calculations and FEA
• FEA: Modal, nonlinear, and linear buckling, fatigue
• GD&T and tolerance stack-ups
• Materials selection incl. alloys, heat treatments, finishes
• Independent work in fast-paced, cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated integrity and teamwork

Responsibilities

• Design complex electro-mechanical or hydro-mechanical mechanisms for autonomous aircraft
• Own the full design process: concept, CAD design, analysis, tolerance stackups, material selection, and drawing release
• Perform structural and kinematic calculations and preliminary FEA
• Prototype, test, and iterate mechanism designs for functionality and reliability
• Collaborate with electrical, avionics, hydraulics, flight controls, and propulsion teams
• Mentor junior engineers and help set technical direction and promote technical excellence
• Support pre-production builds, prototype integration, and ground/flight testing

Skills

Kinematic analysis

Structural analysis

FEA

GD&T

Education

B.S. Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

NX

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Staff Mechanical & Actuated Systems Engineer to own the mechanical design of X-BAT autonomous UAVs from concept to production. You will architect electro-mechanical systems, develop uplocks, doors, flight controls, landing gear, and wing fold, and collaborate to prototype, test, and release hardware.

You will lead design reviews, perform structural and kinematic analyses, mentor junior engineers, and support pre‑production builds and flight testing in a fast-paced,