Principal Fluid Systems Engineer

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI's technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn,X, YouTubeand Instagram.

Job Description:

We are seeking a Principal Fluid Systems Engineer to serve as the technical leader and mentor for fuel, oil, and bleed air systems on our low-bypass turbofan-powered next-generation UAV platform. This role does not directly own hardware, but functions with the authority and insight of someone who has-guiding REs, reviewing architectures, identifying problems early, and ensuring long-term system maturity.

You will shape the direction of flight-critical fluid system development, influencing everything from conceptual layout to test methodology. You are expected to anticipate integration risks, accelerate failure resolution, and drive system readiness across teams.

What you will do in this role:

• Serve as the technical owner of all fluid systems on the next-gen platform and provide technical oversight and mentorship to REs responsible for fluid systems.
• Architect and model fluid systems from first principles, balancing tradeoffs in flow rate, pressure drop, temperature, and integration complexity
• Lead the development of system-level models and simulations using ANSYS Fluent, CFX, Thermal Desktop, and MATLAB/Simulink
• Define and validate component specifications for pumps, valves, tanks, regulators, and routing
• Lead design reviews, FMEAs, and test planning, with an eye toward robustness, maintainability, and performance under flight loads
• Lead or advise on failure investigations, instrumentation planning, and test strategy.
• Maintain awareness of mission-level implications: maneuverability, survivability, fault tolerance, and integration constraints.
• Interface with suppliers and manufacturing partners for component design, fabrication, and testing
• Create and maintain comprehensive engineering documentation including schematics, models, interface control drawings (ICDs), and analysis reports
• Drive the long-term vision for fluid systems across platform variants, upgrades, and future aircraft generations

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• 15+ years of experience in aerospace fluid systems, thermal/fluid design, or propulsion-related subsystems
• Proven ownership of complex fluid-handling systems in aerospace, defense, or comparable high-reliability environments
• Strong understanding of compressible and incompressible flows, thermal coupling, multiphase flow behavior, and environmental effects
• Familiarity with thermal-fluid interaction, flight qualification, and high-altitude operating conditions
• Hands-on experience with prototyping, test rig development, and system validation
• Excellent documentation, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills

Preferred qualifications:

• PhD or MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering with a focus on fluid mechanics or thermodynamics
• Experience with CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, CFX, STAR-CCM+), thermal/fluid system modeling, and simulation of dynamic/transient behavior
• Background in UAV, jet/rocket propulsion, or autonomous aircraft development
• Experience with integration into AI-controlled or semi-autonomous platforms
• Active or previous DoD clearance (not required)

$198,046 - $297,068 a year

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Full-time regular employee offer package:

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)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.