Staff Mechanical Design & Analysis Engineer - Launch & Recovery Vehicle (LRV)

The role

Lead the mechanical design and engineering analysis of the Launch & Recovery Vehicle for a next-gen unmanned aircraft system. Own the hardware from concept and analysis through detailed design, manufacturing, and test validation.

What you will do

• Lead mechanical design and engineering analysis of the Launch & Recovery Vehicle, including structures, mechanisms, aircraft interfaces and transport restraints.
• Develop CAD models, engineering drawings and specifications for manufacturing and assembly.
• Define load cases and boundary conditions for launch, recovery, transport and field operations.
• Perform hand calculations and finite element analysis of stress, deflection, stability and structural margins.
• Conduct structural, thermal, dynamic and fatigue analyses.
• Run analysis-driven trade studies on structural performance, weight, portability and ruggedness.
• Select materials, manufacturing processes, fasteners and joining methods.
• Lead prototype development, instrumentation planning, testing and validation, and correlate predictions with test data.
• Write analysis reports, technical documentation, test procedures and field support manuals.
• Support flight test campaigns by evaluating hardware and implementing design improvements.

Required qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in mechanical design and structural analysis for aerospace, launch and recovery vehicles, or heavy industrial systems.
• Demonstrated ability to own mechanical design and analytical substantiation of complex hardware from concept through qualification or field deployment.
• Expertise in CAD software such as SolidWorks, CATIA, NX or similar.
• Proficiency with FEA tools and engineering hand calculations.
• Strong background in structural mechanics, load-path development, material selection and manufacturing for ruggedized systems.
• Experience evaluating static strength, stiffness, buckling, bolted or welded joints and fatigue life.
• Experience developing load cases and translating system requirements into designs and analysis criteria.
• Experience designing and analyzing deployable, transportable and field-ready mechanical systems.
• Knowledge of applicable MIL-STD requirements.
• Experience planning or supporting structural and durability testing and correlating models with test results.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile development environment with evolving priorities.
• Active Secret or Top Secret clearance, or ability to obtain one.

Nice to have

• Experience designing and analyzing launch and recovery vehicles or associated mechanisms for UAS or military aircraft.
• Experience with nonlinear FEA, contact modeling, transient dynamics, shock and vibration, or multibody dynamics.
• Experience characterizing launch and recovery loads and their effects on vehicle structures and aircraft interfaces.
• Experience with thermal analysis and fatigue or lifecycle testing.
• Knowledge of power distribution, hydraulics, actuation and environmental control systems for aerospace.
• Experience with DoD acquisition, sustainment and field deployment strategies.
• Prior experience supporting military aircraft launch, recovery, maintenance or sustainment operations.

Benefits

• Bonus (full-time regular employees).
• Equity (full-time regular employees).
• Benefits package (full-time regular employees).
• Temporary benefits package, applicable after 60 days of employment (temporary employees).

Before you apply

• All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.
• Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits.
• Active Secret or Top Secret clearance is preferred, or the ability to obtain one.

About the company

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company building intelligent systems to protect service members and civilians. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation technologies.