Senior Fluids 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 Senior Fluid Systems Engineer to serve as the Responsible Engineer (RE) for fuel, oil, and bleed air systems on our low-bypass turbofan-powered next-generation UAV. This role demands cradle-to-grave ownership-from early system definition and architecture through build, test, flight, and operational support.

You will lead the development of flight-critical fluid systems and ensure they perform reliably in high-consequence environments involving elevated-G maneuvers, rapid transients, and demanding CONOPS. This role is hands-on, analysis-driven, and highly cross-functional-requiring collaboration with propulsion, design, airframe, manufacturing, and flight test teams.

What you will do in this role:

• Serve as the RE for the design, integration, and validation of fuel, oil, and bleed air systems.
• Define system requirements, interfaces, and performance goals.
• Design and evaluate components for both compressible and incompressible flows, considering transients, heat rejection, and environmental extremes.
• Address challenges such as level sensing, vapor pressure, cavitation, vapor ingestion, slosh, and pressurization.
• Support and lead component and system-level ground and flight testing.
• Analyze test and flight data to validate performance, close margin, and refine designs.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to manage build and instrumentation requirements.
• Contribute to fault analysis, safety assessments, and operational reliability planning.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience owning or contributing to aerospace fluid systems.
• Strong foundation in fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and fluid system component design.
• Demonstrated experience in system integration and hardware testing.
• Proficiency in analysis tools (e.g., Python, GFSSP, REFPROP, ANSYS).
• U.S. Citizenship or ability to comply with ITAR requirements.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with UAVs, tactical aircraft, or jet/rocket propulsion systems.
• Knowledge of compressibility effects, slosh dynamics, and G-loading considerations.
• Familiarity with system instrumentation and test data analysis.
• M.S. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.

$114,989 - $172,483 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.