Sr. Staff Thermal Engineer - Aircraft Avionics & Thermal Systems (R3930)

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 .
Job Description: Are you a passionate and innovative thermal engineer looking to help develop state of the art AI and aircraft products? Are you eager to make a positive difference in the world? Do you want to work alongside mission driven and values focused teammates? Shield AI is just the place for you! As a Sr. Staff Thermal Engineer at Shield AI, you will lead the design, analysis, and integration of aircraft avionics thermal management systems, with opportunities to flex into aircraft-level thermal and fluid systems. This role is best suited for an engineer who thrives on first-principles problem solving, is comfortable with ambiguous, open-ended challenges, and can bridge technical disciplines with strong communication and collaboration skills and the ability to simplify and communicate complex problems. The engineer will be a key contributor in shaping designs, mentoring peers, and ensuring robust thermal solutions that meet mission-critical aerospace requirements.

What you'll do:

• Contribute to thermal analysis and design efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics and thermal/fluid systems.
• Develop and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFD.
• Drive test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental results.
• Communicate technical findings clearly through executive-level briefings, design reviews, and written reports.
• Proactively identify risks, propose solutions, and influence electrical and/or PCBA design direction.

Required qualifications:

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineering.
• Strong expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics.
• Deep understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and their integration at component and system level.
• Deep understanding of thermal management design elements including TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes, and fans
• Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+).
• Proficiency with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar.
• Demonstrated experience applying first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of leading technical discussions and presenting to stakeholders.
• Proven ability to learn and adapt quickly to new tools, processes, and technical challenges in a fast paced, startup environment.
• Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Preferred qualifications:

• M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering discipline.
• Experience with high altitude aircraft avionics cooling and thermal design.
• Familiarity with aircraft integration constraints (power, weight, volume, maintainability, safety).
• Hands-on experience with thermal and fluid system testing, instrumentation, and validation.
• Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods relevant to thermal management (pumps, heat exchangers, composites, etc.)
• Experience guiding trade studies, proposals, and customer interactions in aerospace or defense programs.
• Background in multi-disciplinary system integration, spanning avionics, fluid systems, and systems engineering

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