Staff Engineer, Fuel Systems (R5900)

Shield; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 146,000 - 219,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Staff Fuel System Engineer to lead the design, development, integration, and fielding of a next-generation autonomous aircraft system. This role requires a balance of technical rigor, rapid decision-making, and hands-on engineering to translate concepts into operational capability.

You will serve as the Responsible Engineer for the aircraft fuel system, owning technical execution from requirements and architecture through design, procurement, integration, build, test,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related engineering field.
• 7+ years of experience in aerospace fuel systems, propulsion, or related aircraft system development with ownership of complex hardware.
• Strong thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and both compressible and incompressible flow knowledge.
• Experience with fuel system hardware integration, testing, and failure investigations.
• Proficiency in Python or similar tools for analysis, data reduction, and model correlation.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Responsible Engineer for the aircraft fuel system from concept to deployment.
• Design, size, and integrate tanks, pumps, valves, plumbing, venting, pressurization, filtration, and sensing hardware.
• Analyze fuel system performance across the operating envelope and during transients and extreme conditions.
• Lead design reviews, supplier engagements and hardware procurement.ST improve performance, mass, thermal, reliability, safety, and mission fulfilment.
• Plan and execute component, subsystem, and vehicle-level testing with instrumentation and data acquisition.
• Analyze ground and flight data to validate performance, quantify margins, and drive improvements.
• Lead failure investigations using analysis, inspection, testing, and data to develop corrective actions.
• Collaborate with design engineers, propulsion, controls, airframe, manufacturing, and flight teams to build and iterate flight hardware.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline

Tools

Python

GFSSP

REFPROP

CFD

ANSYS

FEA

Job description

Job Description

We are seeking a highly motivated Staff Fuel System Engineer to support the design, development, integration, and fielding of a next-generation autonomous aircraft system. 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.

You will serve as the Responsible Engineer (RE) for the aircraft fuel system, owning technical execution from requirements and architecture through design, procurement, integration, build, test, flight, and operational support. This role requires strong thermofluid fundamentals, engineering judgment, and the ability to understand fuel system behavior across demanding aircraft operating conditions while serving as the focal point between propulsion, vehicle teams, suppliers, and flight operations.

What You'll Do

• Serve as the Responsible Engineer for the aircraft fuel system, owning requirements, architecture, interfaces, hardware, and technical decisions from concept through operational deployment.
• Design, size, and integrate fuel tanks, pumps, valves, plumbing, venting and pressurization systems, filtration, level sensing, and associated fuel system hardware.
• Analyze fuel system performance across the aircraft operating envelope, including pressure and flow requirements, transient engine demand, elevated-G maneuvering, tank depletion, slosh, vapor pressure, cavitation, vapor ingestion, and thermal effects.
• Lead technical design reviews, supplier engagements, and hardware procurement while ensuring the fuel system meets performance, mass, thermal, reliability, safety, and mission requirements.
• Plan and execute component, subsystem, and vehicle-level testing, including instrumentation, procedures, data acquisition, performance validation, and flight readiness.
• Analyze ground and flight data to validate system performance, quantify margin, identify anomalies, and drive hardware or operational improvements.
• Lead failure investigations and root cause efforts using analysis, inspection, testing, and data to develop effective corrective actions.
• Work hands-on with design engineers, technicians, propulsion, controls, airframe, manufacturing, supply chain, test, and flight teams to build, integrate, troubleshoot, and iterate flight hardware.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 7+ years of experience in aerospace fuel systems, fluid systems, propulsion, or related aircraft system development, with demonstrated ownership of complex aerospace hardware.
• Strong understanding of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and compressible and incompressible flow.
• Strong understanding of aerospace fuel system design, including pressure losses, pump performance, venting, vapor pressure, cavitation, transient flow behavior, and thermal effects.
• Hands-on experience with fluid system hardware integration, instrumentation, testing, flight support, and technical failure investigations.
• Strong proficiency in Python or similar tools for engineering analysis, data reduction, and model correlation.
• Demonstrated ability to independently drive ambiguous technical problems to measurable results in a fast-paced development environment.
• U.S. Citizenship and active security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing fuel systems for high-performance aircraft, tactical aircraft, UAVs, or similar aerospace platforms.
• Experience designing fuel systems for elevated-G maneuvering, aggressive vehicle dynamics, or challenging fuel delivery conditions.
• Experience with fuel tanks, pumps, valves, regulators, level sensing, venting, pressurization, and fuel system control hardware.
• Familiarity with GFSSP, REFPROP, CFD, ANSYS, FEA, or similar thermal-fluid analysis tools.
• Experience working with aerospace suppliers through component selection, procurement, development, qualification, and integration.
• Background in rocket propulsion or propellant systems with experience transferable to aerospace fuel system design, analysis, integration, or test.
• M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

Employment Details

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.

146000 - 219000 USD a year