POSTING ACTIVE · REQ-44AF3 · FY26.Q3
Staff Engineer, Landing Gear Systems (R5372)
[ COMPENSATION RANGE · ANNUAL · BASE ]
$130,000 – $200,000USD
MIDPOINT
$165,000
SPREAD
$70,000
LEVEL
LEAD
§ 01OVERVIEW
Founded in 2015, 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 and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. 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.
§ 02JOB DESCRIPTION:
Are you a passionate and innovative product design 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 Principal Landing Gear Engineer, you will be responsible for contributing to the mechanical design and development of Shield AI's autonomous UAV products. You will help architect landing gear on next generation unmanned aerial platforms, perform the detailed design of landing gear, doors and related mechanisms, and will use best in class design and analysis tools. You will collaborate closely with internal and/or external partners to prototype, test and release products to production. You will also help ensure product features achieve performance, schedule and reliability goals.
§ 03WHAT 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
§ 04REQUIRED 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
§ 05PREFERRED 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
#LI-MS1
#LD
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.
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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.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
- How much does the Staff Engineer, Landing Gear Systems (R5372) at Shield AI pay?
- The posting lists a range of $130K–$200K per year. Ranges reflect what Shield AI publicly declared on the source posting.
- Where is this Staff Engineer, Landing Gear Systems (R5372) role based?
- The role is based in Dallas, Texas.
- What experience does Shield AI expect for this role?
- The posting is tagged as a lead-level role, typically 7+ years of experience. Check the requirements section for specifics.
- Where is Shield AI headquartered?
- Shield AI is headquartered in San Diego, USA.
- How was this posting sourced?
- This role was pulled directly from Shield AI's Lever careers site. Apply links open in the employer's own ATS — no reposts or aggregator middleware.
[ APPLICATION ROUTE ]LEVER · External ATS
Apply links open in the employer's official ATS. Always verify recruitment messages on the company's careers page before sharing personal information.
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