Staff Engineer, Landing Gear Systems - Ranger (R6294)

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

As a Staff or Senior Staff Landing Gear Engineer, you will take full technical ownership of the landing gear architecture, kinematic mechanism design, structural analysis, and vehicle integration for a new UAV platform.

Responsibilities

• Lead landing gear architecture definition and trade studies to meet vehicle mass, volume, and ground handling requirements.
• Own the full CAD design lifecycle from initial concept through drawing release, including complex linkage kinematics, clearance envelopes, structural load paths, material selection, and rigorous tolerance stack-ups.
• Perform first-principles classical stress and fatigue hand calculations, backed by finite element analysis and dynamic landing load assessments.
• Size and select wheels, tires, brakes, shock absorption systems, actuators, and nose wheel steering mechanisms tailored to vehicle landing and taxi envelopes.
• Author technical specifications and statements of work for landing gear components, evaluate vendors, and drive supplier technical execution.
• Define verification test plans, design mechanical test fixtures, support drop test campaigns, and execute functional validation against performance requirements.
• Support prototype assembly, ground taxi testing, and flight test operations to identify discrepancies, resolve mechanism anomalies via root-cause investigation, and implement rapid design changes.

Requirements

• Minimum 7 years (L4) to 12 years (L5) of direct experience in aerospace mechanism design, aircraft landing gear systems, or primary structural development.
• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Deep mastery of classical solid mechanics, kinematics, dynamics, fatigue, materials selection, and GD&T/tolerance stack-up methodologies.
• Demonstrated capability performing closed-form hand calculations and FEA analysis for high-load mechanism and structural components.
• Extensive experience in 3D CAD modeling, mechanism layout, and drawing release with PLM workflows.
• Proven track record sourcing aerospace hardware, collaborating with specialized mechanism/actuator suppliers, and supporting physical builds and test rigs.
• Demonstrated ability to self-direct, prioritize technical tasks without oversight, and deliver functional hardware under tight timelines.
• Secret eligible

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with UAV, autonomous aircraft, or rotorcraft landing systems and arresting gear integration.
• Familiarity with aerospace structural, environmental, and mechanism drop-test standards.
• Hands-on machine shop, fabrication, or mechanical assembly experience in a prototype or rapid R&D environment.

Benefits

• 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)

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.