Principal Propulsion Engineer (R6453)

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. 

We are seeking a highly skilled Propulsion Design Engineer to serve as a senior technical contributor within our propulsion team. This role focuses on the design, release, and continual improvement of mechanical components and assemblies for internal combustion and jet propulsion systems on UAV platforms.

As a design engineer, you’ll lead complex CAD efforts, enforce rigorous design standards, and collaborate directly with Responsible Engineers, technicians, machinists, and production teams to ensure our propulsion hardware is functional, manufacturable, and testable. You will be the cornerstone of configuration control, interface discipline, and design-for-execution within the team.

Own the design of propulsion components and subsystems from concept through production release

Develop and maintain high-quality CAD models, detailed drawings, and assemblies using Siemens NX with fully applied GD&T

Write and enforce propulsion design standards and contribute to company-wide design best practices

Collaborate closely with the machine shop, production team, and technicians to support builds, resolve non-conformances, and drive iterative improvements

Develop initial work instructions, assembly guidance, and design documentation for repeatability and scalability

Ensure designs are practical, manufacturable, and cost-effective, with strong understanding of machining, tolerances, materials, and assembly workflows

Apply engineering analysis and judgment (e.g., hand calcs, GFSSP, ANSYS, FEA, REFPROP) to support sizing, load cases, and design validation

Support configuration management, BOM control, and change processes using Teamcenter or equivalent PLM

Participate in design reviews, interface control working groups, and root cause investigations

Required Qualifications:

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

7+ years of experience in mechanical design for aerospace, with direct propulsion hardware experience preferred

Expert-level proficiency in CAD modeling and drawing creation (NX preferred) and application of GD&T

Proven ability to work cross-functionally with production, machine shop personnel, and technicians to solve real-time hardware issues

Familiarity with design for manufacturing, including machining processes, surface modeling, stack-up analysis, and fabrication limitations

Hands-on experience developing assembly work instructions, troubleshooting build issues, and implementing hardware-driven design changes

Experience with configuration management, PLM systems (Teamcenter), and BOM structure

U.S. Citizenship or ability to comply with ITAR requirements; Ability to obtain Secret clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with GFSSP, REFPROP, ANSYS, FEA, or other mechanical and thermal analysis tools

Ability to write Python scripts for design automation, data analysis, or simulation support

Proficient in interface control and tolerance stack-up analysis for complex assemblies

Knowledge of fastening methods and joint design for high-vibration, aerospace environments

Familiarity with high-temperature materials and design practices for thermally stressed components

Prior experience designing hardware for internal combustion, turbine, or rocket propulsion systems, particularly in development or test environments

M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline