Staff Mechanical & Actuated Systems Engineer

Shield; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Staff Mechanical & Actuated Systems Engineer to advance the design of autonomous UAV platforms. You will develop complex mechanical assemblies, drive concept through production release, and work closely with multi-disciplinary teams to meet performance, schedule and reliability goals.

The role demands strong CAD (NX), extensive FEA and engineering judgment, with hands-on collaboration across design, test and production teams in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering is required.
• 7+ years in mechanical or mechanism design.
• Strong CAD skills with NX preferred.
• Kinematic analysis and optimization.
• Structural analysis using hand calculations and FEA.
• FEA: Modal, non-linear and linear, buckling, fatigue.
• GD&T and tolerance stack-ups for mechanical systems.
• Materials selection incl. alloys, heat treatments, and finishes.
• Ability to work independently in fast-paced, cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated integrity, reliability and teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Design complex electro-mechanical or hydro-mechanical mechanisms for autonomous aircraft.
• Own the full design process: concept, CAD design, analysis, tolerances, materials, 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.
• Support pre-production builds, prototype integration, and ground/flight testing.

Skills

Mechanical design

CAD NX

Kinematic analysis

FEA

GD&T

Materials selection

Independent work

Education

B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

NX

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a Staff Mechanical & Actuated Systems Engineer to advance the design of autonomous UAV platforms. You will develop complex mechanical assemblies, drive concept through production release, and work closely with multi-disciplinary teams to meet performance, schedule and reliability goals.

The role demands strong CAD (NX), extensive FEA and engineering judgment, with hands-on collaboration across design, test and production teams in a fast-paced environment.