EngineeringOn-site

Aerostructures Design Engineer II (R4953)

Shield AI · On-site

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Last seen by MeritLog September 12, 2026Source: LeverSource version: lever-postings-v1

MeritLog read this listing from Shield AI's Lever job board and last checked it on September 12, 2026.

Source: the employer's Lever job board. Open the original listing for current details.

Job details

Work model: On-site
Salary: $100,000 - $160,000
Location: Seattle, Washington

Hiring context

How this role compares at Shield AI

Shield AI has 473 live roles in MeritLog’s catalog across 12 job families, and 327 of them are in engineering. 369 of those listings publish a pay range, a disclosure rate of 78%.

This role's posted range of $100,000 - $160,000 sits above 12% of the 349 other Shield AI roles quoted over the same currency and period.

Shield AI concentrates this hiring in:

Counted across the job boards MeritLog tracks, at the time this page was served. Pay comparisons use only listings that publish a complete range in the same currency and period.

What the role asks for

What you'd do

Design and develop structural components and assemblies for Shield AI’s next-generation UAV platform, supporting both primary and secondary aircraft structures.
Execute all stages of the design lifecycle including conceptual development, initial CAD modeling, detailed design, and drawing release.
Perform hand calculations for stress or strain with limited basic FEA analysis, with guidance from senior engineers as needed.
Collaborate closely with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, payload, and manufacturing teams to support system integration across airframe interfaces.
Support structural validation efforts including coupon testing, subcomponent testing, and system-level verification.
Generate high-quality design documentation, drawings, interface definitions, and analysis reports in compliance with aerospace standards.
Partner with manufacturing and flight test teams to resolve build issues and support hardware through test and deployment.
Participate in design reviews and technical discussions, presenting work clearly and incorporating feedback effectively.
Continuously improve personal technical depth in structural layout, joints, fasteners, tolerancing, and structural optimization.

What they're asking for

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.Education
2+ years of experience in aircraft structural design or closely related aerospace structures.Experience
Experience designing and releasing structural components in development or production environments.Skill
Working knowledge of composite and metallic structures, including fasteners, bonded joints, and load paths.Skill
Proficiency in CAD tools (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, or similar).Skill
Understanding of GD&T, tolerance stackups, and DFMA principles.Skill
Strong written and verbal technical communication skills.Skill
Demonstrated ability to operate in fast-paced, high-ownership engineering environmentsSkill
Ability to get a S//SAR level security clearance desiredCredential
M.S. degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.EducationPreferred
Experience supporting UAV, DoD, or aerospace vehicle programs.SkillPreferred
Familiarity with aerospace standards (MIL-STD, ASME Y14.5, FAA).SkillPreferred
Experience supporting hardware through test, failure analysis, and design iteration.SkillPreferred
Exposure to composite design and manufacturing methods.SkillPreferred
Experience using FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN, or similar) for linear structural analysisSkillPreferred

Parsed by MeritLog from the employer’s own posting. The full description follows below.

Job description

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. What you'll do: • Design and develop structural components and assemblies for Shield AI’s next-generation UAV platform, supporting both primary and secondary aircraft structures. • Execute all stages of the design lifecycle including conceptual development, initial CAD modeling, detailed design, and drawing release. • Perform hand calculations for stress or strain with limited basic FEA analysis, with guidance from senior engineers as needed. • Collaborate closely with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, payload, and manufacturing teams to support system integration across airframe interfaces. • Support structural validation efforts including coupon testing, subcomponent testing, and system-level verification. • Generate high-quality design documentation, drawings, interface definitions, and analysis reports in compliance with aerospace standards. • Partner with manufacturing and flight test teams to resolve build issues and support hardware through test and deployment. • Participate in design reviews and technical discussions, presenting work clearly and incorporating feedback effectively. • Continuously improve personal technical depth in structural layout, joints, fasteners, tolerancing, and structural optimization. Required qualifications: • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline. • 2+ years of experience in aircraft structural design or closely related aerospace structures. • Experience designing and releasing structural components in development or production environments. • Working knowledge of composite and metallic structures, including fasteners, bonded joints, and load paths. • Proficiency in CAD tools (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, or similar). • Understanding of GD&T, tolerance stackups, and DFMA principles. • Strong written and verbal technical communication skills. • Demonstrated ability to operate in fast-paced, high-ownership engineering environments • Ability to get a S//SAR level security clearance desired Preferred qualifications: • M.S. degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering. • Experience supporting UAV, DoD, or aerospace vehicle programs. • Familiarity with aerospace standards (MIL-STD, ASME Y14.5, FAA). • Experience supporting hardware through test, failure analysis, and design iteration. • Exposure to composite design and manufacturing methods. • Experience using FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN, or similar) for linear structural analysis #LI-MS1 #LB 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. ### 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.

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