Principal Thermal Engineer - Aircraft Avionics & Thermal Systems (R3930)

The role

This role leads thermal architecture, analysis and design for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics and aircraft-level thermal and fluid systems. The engineer will run trade studies, validate models with testing, and mentor other engineers.

What you will do

• Own thermal architecture, analysis and design strategy for UAV avionics and aircraft-level thermal and fluid systems.
• Lead cross-functional trade studies balancing thermal performance with power, weight, volume, reliability and integration constraints.
• Develop and validate heat transfer and fluid flow models using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFD, and set modeling standards.
• Define verification and validation strategies, guide test planning and instrumentation, and correlate models with test results.
• Act as technical authority in executive briefings, design reviews and customer discussions.
• Identify and retire system-level risks and influence electrical and PCBA design direction.
• Establish reusable thermal design methods and mentor engineers across the organization.

Required qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related discipline.
• Minimum 12 years of professional experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineering, including technical leadership of complex systems.
• Strong expertise in heat transfer and fluid mechanics applied to system architecture.
• Deep understanding of active and passive cooling solutions at component, subsystem and aircraft level.
• Deep understanding of TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes and fans.
• Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools such as ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD or STAR-CCM+.
• Proficiency with CAD tools such as NX, SolidWorks or similar.
• Demonstrated first-principles problem solving on ambiguous, system-level challenges.
• Proven track record of owning thermal architecture from concept through integration, verification and validation.
• Strong written and verbal communication, including presenting to executive stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and lead technical efforts across teams or programs.
• Proven ability to learn new tools and processes quickly in a fast-paced startup environment.

Nice to have

• M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering discipline.
• Experience leading high altitude aircraft avionics cooling and thermal design.
• Experience defining thermal architectures within aircraft integration constraints.
• Hands-on experience developing thermal and fluid test strategies and root-cause investigations.
• Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods for thermal management, such as pumps, heat exchangers and composites.
• Experience leading trade studies, shaping proposals and serving as technical representative in customer interactions on aerospace or defense programs.

Benefits

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

Before you apply

• An S//SAR level security clearance is desired, and all offers are contingent on a cleared background.
• Offers are contingent on a possible reference check.
• Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits.

About the company

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