Staff Engineer, Actuated Systems - Ranger (R6347)

F7d8749a; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Equity

Job summary

Shield AI in Seattle is seeking a Staff (L4) Actuated Systems Engineer to own mechanical design and integration of actuators for flight control surfaces and airframe mechanisms on a Group 5 UAV fighter aircraft. You will apply first-principles engineering to develop installable actuator layouts and drive detailed hardware design through release, test, and vehicle integration.

The ideal candidate has 5–12 years of aerospace mechanical design experience, strong CAD skills (NX/CATIA/Creo), and a

Qualifications

• 5 to 12 years of mechanical systems design experience in aerospace or regulated industries.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in mechanical/aerospace engineering or a related field.
• Deep mastery of mechanical design, kinematics, load paths, materials selection, GD&T, and tolerance analysis.
• Closed-form hand calculations and basic FEA for mechanisms and installation components.
• Extensive 3D CAD modeling and drawing release using NX, CATIA, or Creo.
• Ability to source components and manage supplier execution, with rigid packaging/clearance requirements.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and deliver hardware under tight timelines.
• Eligibility for security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and mature actuator layouts and installation concepts within vehicle packaging constraints.
• Own CAD design of actuation hardware from concept to drawing release, including load paths and tolerances.
• Perform actuator sizing, kinematic layout, and installation analysis for flight surfaces and airframe mechanisms.
• Conduct hand calculations and basic FEA to validate brackets, mounts, and hardware.
• Define installation interfaces with structures, EWIS, EPS, and thermal management, ensuring maintainability.
• Create and maintain CAD models, drawings, interface definitions, and design data for SRR, PDR, and CDR.
• Support component selection, supplier execution, prototype assembly, and test fixtures.
• Define qualification test plans per MIL-STD-810 and support MIL-HDBK-516 airworthiness processes.

Skills

Mechanical design

Kinematics

GD&T

Tolerance analysis

Load paths

CAD modeling

Self-direction

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

M.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

CATIA

Creo

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 https://shield.ai/. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/shield-ai, X https://x.com/shieldaitech, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shield_ai, and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@Shield_AI.

JOB DESCRIPTION: As a Staff (L4) Actuated Systems Engineer, you will take hands-on technical ownership of the mechanical design, layout, and integration of actuation systems for flight control surfaces, bay doors, and other airframe mechanisms on a Group 5 UAV fighter aircraft. You will apply first-principles engineering to develop buildable actuator installations, mature mechanism layouts, and drive detailed hardware design through release, test, and vehicle integration. This position requires a balance of technical rigor, rapid decision-making, and hands-on engineering to efficiently transition concepts into operational capability. The ideal candidate is comfortable solving complex problems, taking ownership, working within an accelerated aircraft development environment, and is motivated by getting meaningful capability into the hands of operators quickly.

What you'll do:

• Actuated System Layouts: Develop and mature system layouts and installation concepts for actuators, mechanisms, linkages, brackets, mounting provisions, and associated hardware within vehicle packaging constraints.
• Mechanical Design Ownership: Own detailed CAD design of actuated systems hardware from concept through drawing release, including load paths, materials, interfaces, GD&T, and tolerance stack-ups.
• Actuator and Mechanism Integration: Perform actuator sizing, kinematic layout, and installation analysis for flight control surfaces, bay doors, and other airframe mechanisms.
• Installation Analysis: Perform hand calculations and basic FEA to substantiate brackets, mounts, linkages, and mechanical installation hardware.
• Vehicle Interfaces: Define and resolve installation interfaces with structures, EWIS, EPS, thermal management, and adjacent systems, including routing, clearances, and maintainability provisions.
• Design Documentation: Develop and maintain CAD models, drawings, interface definitions, and design data packages to program standards for SRR, PDR, and CDR.
• Hardware and Supplier Execution: Support component selection, technical specifications, supplier technical execution, prototype assembly, and mechanical test-fixture development.
• Qualification and Hardware Delivery: Define and execute qualification test plans per MIL-STD-810, using results to mature the design into production-ready hardware and support MIL-HDBK-516 Airworthiness Certification.

Required qualifications:

• Experience: 5 to 12 years of mechanical systems design experience in aerospace or a comparable regulated industry, with hands-on experience designing actuated mechanisms or aircraft installations.
• Education: B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Core Fundamentals: Deep mastery of mechanical design, kinematics, load paths, materials selection, GD&T, and tolerance stack-up methodologies.
• Analysis and Modeling: Demonstrated capability performing closed-form hand calculations and basic FEA for mechanisms, brackets, mounts, and structural installation components.
• CAD and PLM: Extensive experience in 3D CAD modeling, mechanical layouts, and drawing release, with Siemens NX, CATIA, Creo, or equivalent PLM workflows.
• Actuated Systems Integration: Demonstrated ability to develop actuator and mechanism installations that satisfy packaging, load, clearance, maintainability, and vehicle-interface requirements.
• 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

Preferred qualifications:

• Aircraft flight control actuation, weapons bay door, landing gear, or other deployable-mechanism design experience.
• Experience with electro-mechanical or electro-hydrostatic actuation systems.
• Familiarity with MIL-HDBK-516, MIL-STD-810, and airworthiness verification planning for mechanical systems.
• Hands-on machine shop, fabrication, mechanical assembly, or prototype-build experience in a rapid R&D environment.

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.