Senior Mechanical Engineer, Systems Integration

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems.

As a Senior Systems Integration Engineer, you will lead the design and integration of complex aircraft systems from concept through production. You will own subsystem-level integration activities, including installation design, equipment packaging, routing, interface definition, and manufacturing support, while ensuring compatibility across structures, avionics, propulsion, and other aircraft systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical integration of complete aircraft subsystems from concept through production, ensuring compatibility across structural, electrical, avionics, propulsion, and manufacturing interfaces.
• Develop installation architecture for complex aircraft systems, including subsystem packaging, equipment mounting, and routing of electrical and fluid systems.
• Lead the design of complex machined, composite, fabricated, and sheet metal assemblies requiring advanced engineering judgment.
• Develop and review installation drawings, assembly documentation, and configuration baselines to ensure design consistency and production readiness.
• Perform advanced tolerance analyses, structural hand calculations, and engineering trade studies supporting design decisions.
• Coordinate subsystem integration activities during prototype builds, aircraft assembly, and production.
• Mentor junior engineers in CAD modeling, GD&T application, installation design, and engineering best practices.
• Coordinate suppliers and internal stakeholders to resolve technical issues affecting integration, manufacturability, schedule, or cost.
• Support technical planning, schedule development, and project execution for assigned work packages.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in aircraft, aerospace, defense, robotics, or complex electromechanical system development.
• Demonstrated experience designing machined, fabricated, composite, and sheet metal components from concept through production release.
• Demonstrated experience leading mechanical integration of aircraft subsystems or complex assemblies.
• Advanced CAD proficiency with NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo, or equivalent.
• Experience managing engineering data, product structures, Bills of Material (BOMs), and drawing releases using PLM systems such as Teamcenter, Windchill, or 3DEXPERIENCE.
• Working knowledge of aircraft installation practices, subsystem packaging, interface management, equipment mounting, and maintainability considerations.
• Experience developing installation layouts and routing solutions for EWIS, hydraulic, fuel, pneumatic, ECS, or similar mechanical systems.
• Experience developing part drawings, assembly drawings, and installation drawings.
• Working knowledge of EWIS, hydraulic, fuel, pneumatic, or ECS routing design.
• Strong knowledge of GD&T, ASME Y14.5, tolerance stack-up, and drawing release processes.
• Experience supporting manufacturing, prototype builds, production issue resolution, or MRB activity.
• Ability to coordinate across Manufacturing, Stress, Systems, Avionics, Supply Chain, and Test teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aircraft integration experience on UAV, military, commercial, eVTOL, or autonomous aircraft programs.
• Experience performing structural hand calculations, margin assessments, or preliminary stress analysis.
• Experience with FEA including static, modal, vibration, fatigue, or thermal analysis.
• Hands-on experience supporting build, production, testing, or hardware validation activities.
• Experience managing technical scope, schedule, risk, or supplier coordination for subsystem work packages.
• Familiarity with aircraft-level requirements, interface control, and configuration management.