Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering – Avionics (R4416)

San Diego, California

Full Time On-site

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Manager of Mechanical Engineering to build and lead the team responsible for all mechanical design, thermal, and harnessing in the X-BAT aircraft and ground vehicle. You will establish the technical vision, hire top tier engineers, and partner with all other engineer team leads to execute cross-functionally. Extreme ownership is expected where your team will carry designs from concept through manufacturing. Team leads and managers at Shield are expected to have strong technical fundamentals and a history of experience being hands on.

What you'll do:

Be responsible for the architecture and design for all parts of the mechanical system in the X-BAT aircraft and ground vehicle, as they pertain to avionics
A small team exists that you will inherit. From there, you will establish leads and sub-managers while growing the team significantly in the immediate and long term
While you will not be expected to design as an individual contributor, you must have this experience in your past to establish what "right" looks like for your organization
Partner closely with electrical engineering, RF, PCB design, reliability, supply chain, structures, manufacturing and other disciplines to drive full scope product delivery
Your team will output complex electro-mechanical solutions for flight critical avionics systems that withstand harsh environments

Required qualifications:

B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering
10+ years of experience in mechanical design around electronics and electrical systems
Strong experience in CAD software (NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or similar) for 3D modeling, drawing creation, and system layout
Experience working with electrical engineers to develop avionics packaging
Experience with finite element analysis (FEA), thermal analysis, and fatigue/lifecycle testing
Experience working directly with fabrication shops, contract manufacturers, and suppliers
Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile development environment with evolving priorities
A demonstrated record of working hard, being trustworthy, holding yourself to high standards, and being kind to others
Ability to obtain a Secret level security clearance

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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About Shield AI

Shield AI is a defense technology company building autonomous AI systems for aircraft, drones, and intelligent mission software used in complex military environments. Founded in 2015, the company is best known for developing Hivemind, an AI pilot system that enables aircraft and drones to operate autonomously in contested and GPS-denied environments, supporting U.S. and allied defense missions.

For job seekers, Shield AI offers opportunities across advanced fields including artificial intelligence, robotics, software engineering, autonomy systems, aerospace engineering, embedded systems, and mission operations. The company is especially attractive to engineers, AI researchers, and defense professionals who want to work on real-world autonomous systems that are actively being deployed in operational military scenarios.

Unlike traditional defense contractors, Shield AI operates with a startup-style engineering culture focused on rapid experimentation, real-world testing, and fast deployment of autonomous capabilities. Employees work on tightly integrated AI and robotics systems that combine perception, decision-making, and control, enabling platforms to operate without direct human input in highly complex environments.

As modern warfare increasingly shifts toward autonomous systems, distributed sensing, and AI-enabled decision-making, Shield AI continues to grow as one of the most prominent companies in next-generation defense technology. For professionals seeking to build cutting-edge autonomy systems with direct mission impact, Shield AI stands out as a leading employer in the defense innovation ecosystem.

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