Senior Staff Engineer Structural Analysis
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 structural analysis for UAV airframes, substructures, and critical components. You will define finite-element models and loads, assess margins, perform static and fatigue analyses, and correlate models with test results. You will optimize structures, support test strategy, review technical deliverables, mentor analysts, and coordinate design tradeoffs across engineering disciplines.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
- 10 or more years of experience in structural analysis, aircraft structures, or aerospace systems
- Expertise with FEA tools such as ANSYS, NASTRAN, or HyperWorks
- Advanced hand-calculation skills for strength, stability, fatigue, and damage tolerance
- Experience with composite and lightweight aerospace structures
- Experience supporting structural testing, model correlation, and flight-test validation
- Ability to lead complex technical workstreams and influence design decisions
- Communication and presentation skills for engineering leadership
Responsibilities
- Lead structural analysis for UAV airframes, substructures, and critical components
- Define finite-element modeling approaches, load cases, assumptions, and margin assessments
- Perform static, modal, fatigue, vibration, and damage-tolerance analyses
- Establish hand-calculation, model-validation, and test-correlation practices
- Optimize structures for performance, weight, cost, and manufacturability
- Support structural test strategy and correlate test results to analysis
- Review analysis deliverables, test reports, and technical documentation
- Mentor and guide structural analysts
- Partner with design, loads, aerodynamics, propulsion, and systems teams
- Improve structural analysis methodologies and standards
Benefits
- Bonus
- Benefits
- Equity