Design, analyze, and integrate avionics thermal management for unmanned aircraft. Perform heat transfer and CFD modeling, support trade studies and hardware design, plan and execute thermal tests, correlate models with data, and communicate findings to stakeholders.
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:
Are you a passionate and innovative Thermal Engineer looking to help develop state of the art aircraft? Are you eager to make a positive difference in the world? Do you want to work alongside mission driven and values focused teammates? Shield AI is just the place for you!
As a Thermal Engineer at Shield AI, you will lead the design, analysis, and integration of aircraft avionics thermal management systems. We are designing a high voltage, high power system using custom power electronics and energy storage. This role is best suited for an engineer who thrives on first-principles problem solving, is comfortable with design challenges, and values extreme ownership. The engineer will be a key contributor in ensuring robust thermal solutions that meet mission-critical aerospace requirements.
What you'll do:
- Own thermal analysis and design efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics including custom power electronics
- Develop and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFD
- Provide input to trade studies, system architecture decisions, and risk assessments
- Assist cross-functional teams designing power electronic circuits and environmental enclosures
- Contribute to design requirements that impact circuit part selection, board layout, material selection, and other design aspects
- Drive test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental results
- Communicate technical findings clearly through executive-level briefings, design reviews, and written reports
- Proactively identify risks, propose solutions, and influence electrical and/or PCBA design direction
Required qualifications:
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
- Internship or engineering club experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineering
- Knowledge of heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics
- Familiarity with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+)
- Experience with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar
- Demonstrated experience applying first-principles reasoning to engineering problems
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of leading technical discussions and presenting to stakeholders
- Proven ability to learn and adapt quickly to new tools, processes, and technical challenges in a fast paced, startup environment
- Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.
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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.
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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.
Shield AI Waltham, Massachusetts, USA Office
500 Totten Pond Road, Waltham, MA, United States, 02451
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