Principal Engineer, Fluid & Thermal Systems (R5620)

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

As a Principal Fluid & Thermal Systems Engineer at Shield AI, you will lead the design, development, and optimization of fluid and thermal systems for advanced autonomous UAVs and ground systems.

Responsibilities

• Own design and analysis of fluid and thermal systems for aircraft and ground platforms.
• Develop and implement innovative thermal solutions.
• Use first-principles engineering to drive design decisions to yield optimal solutions.
• Research technologies for integration into complex solutions.
• Conduct advanced simulations to predict system performance and refine designs.
• Execute testing and validation efforts, including data acquisition, post-processing, and verification against requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to integrate fluid and thermal system designs into larger system architectures.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers, fostering technical growth and excellence within the team.
• Identify suppliers and build successful supplier management relationships for procurement of components or systems for fluid and thermal system designs.

Required qualifications

• Minimum 15+ years of experience in Fluid or Thermal System design, with a proven track record of technical excellence.
• B.S. or advanced degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related Engineering discipline.
• Deep understanding of heat transfer, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and system-level thermal management.
• Experience implementing system models in commercial tools, such as MATLAB Simscape, Amesim, etc.
• Experience developing custom engineering models in Excel and in languages such as MATLAB, Python, etc.
• Experience in fluid and thermal system testing, including sensor integration, data acquisition, and analysis.
• Expertise in 3D CAD modeling tools such as Siemens NX or equivalent.
• Demonstrated ability to execute projects with minimal oversight, assume full ownership, and deliver exceptional outcomes.
• Excellence in supplier management, COTS component sourcing, optimization/trade studies.
• Proven success in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
• Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Preferred qualifications

• Extensive experience with fluid & thermal system design, analysis, manufacture and test for aircraft.
• Familiarity with fluid and thermal system effects on aircraft performance.
• Familiarity with startup or R&D environments, demonstrating adaptability and agility under pressure.
• Strong knowledge of environmental standards and certification processes for aerospace or defense systems.
• A passion for innovation and the ability to push boundaries in fluid & thermal system development.

Benefits

• Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity