Staff Engineer, Landing Gear Systems (R5372)

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 electro-mechanical or hydro-mechanical landing gear for autonomous aircraft Own the full design process: concept, CAD design, analysis, tolerance stackups, material selection, and drawing release Perform structural and kinematic calculations and preliminary FEA Prototype, test, and iterate mechanism designs for functionality and reliability Collaborate with electrical, avionics, hydraulics, and structures teams Support pre-production builds, prototype integration, and ground/flight testing Required qualifications:: B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering 7+ years in mechanical or mechanism design Strong CAD skills (NX preferred) Experience with UAVs, aircraft, rotorcraft, or other landable air systems Kinematic analysis and optimization of retractable landing gear systems Knowledge of tire, wheel, and brake selection along with brake control systems Familiarity with nose wheel steering systems Structural analysis utilizing hand calculations and finite element methods FEA analysis: Modal, non-linear and linear, buckling, fatigue GD&T and tolerance stack-ups for mechanical systems Materials selection inclusive of alloys, heat treatments, allowables, and finishes Ability to work independently in fast-paced, cross-functional teams Preferred qualifications:: Familiarity with electro-mechanical actuators Proficiency in FMEA, DOE, and root cause analysis Hands-on machine shop or mechanic experience (professional or hobby) RTCA DO-160, MIL-STD-810, structural, actuated mechanism, or AS6053 drop testing experience Ability to thrive in startup, R&D, or defense innovation environments