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Staff Engineer, Propulsion (R5899)

Shield AI
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Seattle, WA$175k - $263kFull Time EmployeePosted 1mo ago

About the role

Staff Propulsion Engineer at Shield AI focused on design, development, integration, and fielding of a next-generation autonomous aircraft propulsion system. Responsible Engineer for propulsion hardware, driving technical execution from requirements to deployment in an accelerated aircraft development environment.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the Responsible Engineer for assigned propulsion hardware or capabilities from requirements through procurement, build, test, flight, and operational deployment.
  • Own engine performance and integration activities, including requirements, interfaces, operability, transient behavior, performance margins, and vehicle-level impacts.
  • Lead technical design reviews, supplier engagements, and hardware procurement while ensuring propulsion hardware meets performance, thermal, structural, reliability, and mission requirements.
  • Plan and execute propulsion testing, including instrumentation, procedures, data acquisition, performance validation, and test-to-flight readiness.
  • Analyze ground and flight data to understand engine behavior, quantify margin, identify anomalies, and drive design, control, 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, controls, fluids, airframe, manufacturing, supply chain, test, and flight teams to integrate and iterate propulsion hardware.
  • Mentor less experienced engineers and technicians and help strengthen engineering practices across the propulsion team.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
  • 7+ years of experience in aerospace propulsion development, integration, test, or flight operations, with demonstrated ownership of complex aerospace hardware.
  • Strong understanding of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, compressible flow, and gas turbine engine performance, including thrust generation, fuel consumption, operability, and transient response.
  • Hands-on experience with propulsion 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 ability to obtain security clearance.

Skills

Required:Aerospace/Mechanical engineering fundamentalsPropulsion hardware integration & testingPython or engineering analysis toolsProblem solving & ownershipCross-functional collaboration

Benefits

  • Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
  • Temporary employee offer package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Last updated Oct 23, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Shield AI

Autonomy for the world.

Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.

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