Staff Engineer, Fluid and Mechanical Systems (RX) (R6000)

Shield; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is hiring a Staff (L4) Fluid and Mechanical Systems Engineer to own fluid-system layouts, thermal transport hardware, and mechanical installations for a Group 5 UAV fighter aircraft. The role centers on applying first principles to develop ram-air circuits, liquid cooling, ECS/TMS fluid architecture, and integration-ready hardware.

The ideal candidate combines hands‑on engineering with rapid decision making in an accelerated aircraft development program to deliver meaningful capability

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. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description

As a Staff (L4) Fluid and Mechanical Systems Engineer, you will be a hands‑on multi‑disciplinary owner of fluid‑system layouts, thermal transport hardware, and adjacent mechanical design for a Group 5 UAV fighter aircraft. You will apply first‑principles engineering to develop ram‑air circuits, liquid cooling systems, ECS/TMS fluid architecture, and supporting mechanical installations that are buildable, maintainable, and ready for 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.