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:
Are you a curious and motivated engineer looking to help develop state-of-the-art autonomous aircraft? Are you eager to apply your engineering fundamentals to real hardware while learning from experienced teammates? Do you want to work alongside mission-driven and values-focused people? Shield AI may be the place for you.
As a Mechanical Engineer on the Mechanisms team, you will contribute to the design, development, and integration of mechanical systems for Shield AI’s autonomous aircraft. Your work may include a focus on gearbox development and integration, including gears, shafts, bearings, housings, lubrication systems, and related interfaces.
You will complete well-defined engineering tasks with guidance from experienced engineers and collaborate with internal and external partners to design, prototype, test, and release hardware. This role offers the opportunity to build practical experience across the product-development lifecycle while helping the team achieve its performance, schedule, and reliability goals.
What you'll do:
Support the design and integration of mechanical mechanisms for autonomous aircraft, potentially including gearboxes and other power-transmission systemsCreate and update 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, bills of materials, and interface documentationComplete defined design tasks involving component sizing, material selection, tolerance analysis, and mechanical packagingPerform foundational structural, kinematic, and machine-design calculations with guidance from senior engineersAssist with preliminary finite element analysis and document assumptions, methods, and resultsSupport the selection and integration of gears, bearings, shafts, splines, seals, fasteners, and lubrication componentsHelp build, inspect, test, and iterate prototype hardware for functionality, performance, and reliabilitySupport pre-production builds, aircraft integration, and ground and flight testingInvestigate well-defined technical issues, document findings, and contribute to root-cause and corrective-action activitiesCollaborate with mechanical, propulsion, electrical, avionics, flight-controls, manufacturing, and test teamsFollow established engineering, configuration-management, and product-release processesDevelop plans for assigned tasks, communicate progress and risks, and incorporate feedback from teammates Required qualifications:
0-1 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent work experienceUnderstanding of fundamental mechanical engineering principles, including statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, materials science, and machine designAcademic, internship, student-team, research, or project experience using 3D CAD softwareAbility to create or interpret basic engineering drawingsFamiliarity with dimensional tolerancing and GD&T fundamentalsAbility to perform foundational engineering calculations and clearly document assumptions and resultsHands-on interest in designing, building, integrating, or testing mechanical hardwareStrong problem-solving, organization, documentation, and communication skillsAbility to complete well-defined engineering tasks with guidance from peers and managersAbility to collaborate effectively, accept feedback, and work in a fast-paced environment with evolving prioritiesA demonstrated record of working hard, being trustworthy, holding yourself to high standards, and being kind to othersAbility to obtain an S//SAR-level security clearance is desired Preferred qualifications:
Internship, student-team, research, or project experience involving aircraft, UAVs, robotics, automotive systems, or other mechanical productsCoursework or project experience related to gearboxes, gearing, bearings, shafts, splines, seals, lubrication, or rotating machineryFamiliarity with gear geometry, gear-train calculations, bearing selection, or mechanical power transmissionExperience with NX or a similar production CAD platformExposure to tolerance stack-ups, mechanical fits, and GD&T applicationExposure to finite element analysis, including static, modal, buckling, or fatigue analysisFamiliarity with MATLAB, Python, or other engineering analysis toolsHands-on machine-shop, mechanic, fabrication, assembly, or inspection experience through professional, academic, or hobby activitiesExposure to FMEA, design of experiments, root-cause analysis, or reliability testingFamiliarity with additive manufacturing, machining, casting, forging, or other mechanical manufacturing processesExposure to RTCA DO-160, MIL-STD-810, structural testing, vibration testing, or mechanism testingAbility to thrive in startup, R&D, or defense-innovation environments