Engineer II, Structural Analysis (R5166)

The role

You will support the structural analysis and testing of advanced UAVs. You will work with Mechanical, Systems, Propulsion and Aerospace Engineers to keep lightweight, high-performance aircraft structurally sound.

What you will do

• Build and refine finite element models to evaluate UAV component structural performance.
• Perform static, modal, fatigue and vibration analyses to assess stress, deformation and durability.
• Conduct hand calculations to validate FEA results.
• Work with design engineers to optimize airframe structures for weight, strength and manufacturability.
• Support test plans for structural validation, including quasi-static, vibration and shock testing.
• Analyze flight telemetry and structural test data to improve modeling accuracy.
• Assist in defining load cases, material properties and design margins.
• Document and present structural analysis reports and technical recommendations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align structural requirements with system performance goals.
• Contribute to improving structural analysis methods, tools and best practices.

Required qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related field.
• 2+ years of experience in structural analysis, finite element modeling or aircraft loads analysis.
• Experience with FEA tools such as ANSYS, NASTRAN, HyperWorks or similar.
• Strong ability to perform hand calculations for structural strength, stability and fatigue analysis.
• Knowledge of composite materials and lightweight aerospace structures.
• Familiarity with mechanical testing methods: static, vibration and fatigue.
• Proficiency with data analysis tools such as Excel, MATLAB, Python or similar.
• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail and ability to work in a team.

Nice to have

• Master's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• Experience in aircraft structural design, UAV airframe development or aerospace testing.
• Hands-on experience with structural testing, modal analysis or composite modeling.
• Exposure to CAD software such as NX or SolidWorks and PLM tools such as Teamcenter or similar.
• Understanding of aerospace industry standards, structural certification processes and material selection.

Benefits

• Bonus.
• Benefits.
• Equity (full-time regular employees).

Before you apply

• Ability to obtain an S//SAR level security clearance is desired.
• All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.
• Salary depends on skill set, experience, licenses and certifications, and work location.

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.