Engineering Manager, Air Vehicle Mechanical Systems (R5391)

Shield AI

San Diego, CA

On-site

Who this role is best for

Aerospace mechanical engineers with team leadership experience and a focus on actuation systems will find this mid-level engineering manager role highly aligned with their background and technical expertise.

Best fit for

Mid-level mechanical engineers with 10+ years of aerospace actuation experience and team leadership skills
— “10+ years experience with aerospace mechanisms and actuated system design, build, integration, test and flight”
Candidates who have led teams with high autonomy and set technical excellence standards
— “Demonstrated ability to lead teams with high autonomy—setting direction, ensuring quality, and scaling output through people”
Individuals with experience in cross-functional aerospace collaboration and end-to-end mechanism design
— “Drive effective cross-functional collaboration (systems, structures/loads, aero, propulsion, GNC, avionics, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, test, flight test)”

Things to consider

The role requires a cleared background check, which may limit eligibility for some candidates
— “All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check”
The position demands active engagement across multiple engineering sites and programs
— “you will lead a team of engineers developing mechanical systems to support Shield AI’s next generation aircraft program(s)”

How to stand out

Highlight your experience with actuation integration and flight control systems in your resume and interviews
— “Actuation integration for flight controls”
Emphasize your track record in setting quality standards for mechanical systems and verification evidence
— “Set the quality bar for mechanisms engineering: what “good” looks like in sizing, tolerances, margins, drawings/MBD, materials/process selection, and verification evidence”
Showcase your ability to manage workload across multiple builds and test campaigns effectively
— “Manage team workload across multiple builds and test campaigns”

Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · TeamLevel · Senior

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

led a team of high talent mechanical engineers
supported ground test and flight test campaigns

Typical background

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering10+ years experience with aerospace mechanisms

Skills & requirements

Required

Mechanical EngineeringAerospace MechanismsActuated System DesignTeam LeadershipCross-functional CollaborationTechnical MentorshipPerformance Management

Preferred

Environmental RobustnessFlight Test CampaignsMechanism Failure Investigations

Stack & domain

Mechanical EngineeringAerospace MechanismsActuated System DesignEngineering FundamentalsKinematicsStatics/dynamicsFatigue/wearTolerancing/gd&tMaterials And FinishesLubrication/bearingsFailure ModesLeadershipTechnical DemonstrationGuidanceMentorshipCross-functional CollaborationCommunicationTeam ManagementProblem SolvingDecision MakingRisk ManagementAerospaceAutonomous SystemsUAVMechanical DesignActuationHydraulicsEngineering Management

About the role

Original posting from Shield AI via Lever

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Job Description:
Shield AI is seeking an engineering manager of Mechanical Design to support the development of our next-generation autonomous UAV platform. In this high-ownership, high visibility role you will lead a team of engineers developing mechanical systems to support Shield AI’s next generation aircraft program(s).
You will work the director of engineering in a deputy capacity to support collaboration across engineering sites, align technical leaders, create mentorship opportunities for junior engineers, and assist in leveling engineering resources across vehicles and programs.
You will set the bar for excellence through technical demonstration, guidance, and mentorship.
What you'll do::
Lead and develop a team of high talent mechanical engineers, from new grad to Principal, focused on aircraft mechanisms and actuation systems (architecture, detailed design, analysis support, release, and sustaining).
Support your team as a technical resource for end-to-end design of mechanisms including (as applicable):
Doors & latching
Uplocks / Downlocks
Landing gear mechanisms
Actuation integration for flight controls
Nozzle / propulsion actuation mechanisms
Actuation, Hydraulics
Set the quality bar for mechanisms engineering: what “good” looks like in sizing, tolerances, margins, drawings/MBD, materials/process selection, and verification evidence.
Enable extreme ownership by ensuring engineers have clear goals, interfaces, resources, and decision rights
Drive effective cross-functional collaboration (systems, structures/loads, aero, propulsion, GNC, avionics, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, test, flight test) by fostering excelling communication across interfaces.
Coach and develop engineers through technical mentorship, career development, feedback, hiring, onboarding, and performance management.
Manage team workload across multiple builds and test campaigns; communicate risk, staffing needs, and schedule impacts with transparency.
Required qualifications::
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent).
10+ years experience with aerospace mechanisms and actuated system design, build, integration, test and flight.
2+ years leading teams or performing in a team leadership role.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams with high autonomy—setting direction, ensuring quality, and scaling output through people.
Strong engineering fundamentals: kinematics, statics/dynamics, fatigue/wear, tolerancing/GD&T, materials and finishes, lubrication/bearings, failure modes.
Experience shipping hardware through prototype build, test, iteration, and release, including supplier and manufacturing engagement.
Preferred qualifications::
Experience with environmental and operational robustness (vibration/shock, thermal extremes, contamination, corrosion, sand/dust, etc.).
Experience supporting ground test and flight test campaigns and mechanism failure investigations.
Familiarity with reliability and safety methods (DFMEA/FTA, fault containment, safe-state thinking) in collaboration with systems safety.
Experience building supplier relationships for machined parts, actuation systems, mechanisms assemblies, understanding of special processes and inspection/acceptance strategies.
#LI-JM2
#LD
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.
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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.

Source: Shield AI careers (Lever)