Lead Mechanical Engineer Hardware Test
Shield AI is a U.S. defense-technology company developing mission-autonomy software and autonomous aircraft for military and allied operations.
Funding history
Investors
About Shield AI
Founded in 2015, Shield AI builds Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft for operations in contested, GPS- and communications-denied environments. Its current site also presents Aechelon synthetic-reality simulation and Vision Systems detection and tracking products.
Skills
Candidate Availability
Required and preferred rules are kept separate and reflect the wording in the original posting.
About the Role
You will lead the design, development, and validation of mechanical test infrastructure for X-BAT hardware. You will manage engineers, create test stands and fixtures, perform mechanical analyses, coordinate fabrication, troubleshoot failures, and establish reliable engineering processes.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related STEM discipline
- Experience as a senior or lead mechanical engineer developing fixtures, tooling, or test stands for complex hardware systems
- Experience leading and mentoring engineers
- Mechanical design, analysis, fabrication, assembly, and checkout experience
- CAD proficiency with NX, SolidWorks, or CATIA
- Experience releasing manufacturing drawings
- Knowledge of tolerance stack-up, materials selection, fastener design, load paths, and safe fixture design
- Hands-on lab, prototype, or production experience
- Cross-functional communication skills
- Eligible to achieve Top Secret and SCI clearance
Responsibilities
- Lead engineers designing, building, and maintaining hardware test stands and fixtures
- Plan work, provide technical direction, coach engineers, and manage performance development
- Gather requirements and develop, design, and validate test stands
- Design fixtures, tooling, structural support hardware, and mechanical systems
- Perform strength, stiffness, thermal, durability, and safety analyses
- Apply GD&T, tolerance analysis, DFM/DFA, design reviews, and configuration discipline
- Integrate safe and maintainable test hardware with cross-functional teams
- Support fabrication, procurement, assembly, and rapid hardware iteration
- Troubleshoot test failures, conduct root-cause investigations, and implement design improvements
- Build processes and documentation practices for the hardware test function
Benefits
- Bonus
- Equity