Staff Engineer, Fuel Systems (R5900)

Shield AI; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 146,000 - 219,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI seeks a Staff Fuel System Engineer to lead the design, development, integration, and fielding of a next-generation autonomous aircraft fuel system. You will own execution from requirements and architecture to build, test, flight, and operations, interfacing with propulsion, vehicle teams, suppliers, and flight ops.

The ideal candidate has strong thermofluid fundamentals, hands-on hardware experience, and the ability to drive complex problems in a fast-paced defense-focused environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years of aerospace fuel systems or related aircraft system development experience.
• Strong thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer knowledge.
• Experience in fuel system design, including valves, pumps, venting and fittings.
• Hands-on fluid system hardware integration, testing, and failure investigations.
• Proficiency in Python or similar for analysis, data reduction, and model correlation.
• U.S. Citizenship and active security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Responsible Engineer for the aircraft fuel system from requirements through deployment.
• Design, size, and integrate fuel tanks, pumps, valves, plumbing, venting and pressurization systems.
• Analyze fuel system performance across operating envelope and conditions.
• Lead technical design reviews, supplier engagements, and hardware procurement.
• Plan and execute component, subsystem, and vehicle-level testing, data acquisition, and flight readiness.
• Analyze ground and flight data to validate performance and drive improvements.
• Lead failure investigations and implement corrective actions.
• Collaborate with design, propulsion, controls, airframe, manufacturing, and flight teams to build and iterate flight hardware.

Skills

Python

Analytical skills

Ownership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

MS/PhD in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

GFSSP

REFPROP

CFD

ANSYS

FEA

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

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.

$146,000 - $219,000 a year

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 toequal 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.