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Senior Staff Aerostructures Design Engineer (RX) (R5846)

Shield AI· RaptorX – RaptorX Engineering - Aerostructures
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Hybrid (Dallas, TX / Washington, DC)$170k - $260kFull Time EmployeePosted 4w ago

About the role

Senior-level aerostructures design engineer to lead structural components and systems for Shield AI’s next‑gen autonomous aircraft, driving concept to production with cross‑functional teams in an accelerated aircraft development environment.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the design and development of structural components and assemblies for Shield AI’s next-gen UAV platform, with a focus on primary and secondary aircraft structures.
  • Own the structural design lifecycle including concept generation, CAD modeling, detail design, and drawing release, ensuring high quality and traceability.
  • Use FEA tools to perform and guide linear and nonlinear structural analysis, stress analysis, and margin assessment under operational loads and edge cases.
  • Work closely with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, payload, and manufacturing teams to ensure seamless system integration across airframe and subsystem interfaces.
  • Support and lead efforts in material selection, focusing on composites, aluminum alloys, and advanced manufacturing approaches.
  • Participate in and lead design reviews, architecture discussions, and technical decision-making forums related to structural systems.
  • Oversee the design and execution of structural validation testing, including coupon-level, subcomponent, and full-system testing.
  • Guide the development of design documentation, analysis reports, interface definitions, and verification plans in compliance with MIL-STD, FAA, and internal Shield AI standards.
  • Mentor junior engineers and review team members’ work for technical rigor, performance, and manufacturability.
  • Collaborate with the manufacturing and flight test teams to transition designs from engineering to production and field deployment.
  • Identify opportunities to improve design processes, configuration management, and team workflows for increased engineering velocity and design quality.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
  • 10+ years of experience in aircraft structural design, with demonstrated ownership of components or systems in development, test, or production.
  • Deep understanding of composite and metallic structures, including material behavior, joints, and thermal/environmental effects.
  • Expertise in CAD tools (NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks) and FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN, or similar).
  • Experience conducting or overseeing stress analysis, fatigue analysis, and design optimization.
  • Strong working knowledge of DFMA, GD&T, tolerance stackups, and structural layout principles.
  • Clear, concise technical communication skills and experience leading cross-functional engineering efforts.
  • A track record of technical excellence, high ownership, and a mission-driven mindset in challenging engineering environments.
  • Ability to get a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Skills

Required:Mechanical/Ceno structural designCAD (NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks)FEA (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN)Materials: composites and aluminum alloysDFMA, GD&T, tolerance stackupsSystem integration liaison

Benefits

  • 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)
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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