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Shield AI

Staff Engineer, Aerodynamic Design (R6357)

Shield AI is hiring a Staff Engineer, Aerodynamic Design (R6357) in Seattle, United States. It pays $170k-$260k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Shield AI.

Level's read on this job

  • On Level's scale, this role is Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
  • The posting mentions Python, MATLAB and Cfd Software among its tools and skills.
  • Level classes it as a senior role.
  • Shield AI has 656 other open roles on Level.
  • Posted within the past two weeks.

AI in this role

Lead aerodynamic design, CFD simulations, and flight performance modeling for intelligent aircraft systems at Shield AI.

pythonmatlabcfd-softwarestar-ccmnx
aerodynamic-designcomputational-fluid-dynamicsaircraft-designaerospace-engineering
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:

As a Flight Sciences Engineer, Design, you will drive aircraft programs to success with aerodynamic design contributions, CFD analyses, aircraft performance modeling, wind tunnel testing, and flight test data analysis. Your expertise will be critical in ensuring that our aircraft achieve optimal aerodynamic efficiency, stability, and performance across a variety of operational conditions.

What you'll do:

  • Conduct aerodynamic design and build multi-disciplinary optimizations
  • Run computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and communicate results
  • Construct aerodynamic models using wind tunnel data, CFD data, physics-based data, or a combination of all
  • Develop and implement aerodynamic performance models and tools to support design and flight operations.
  • Support wind tunnel test campaigns
  • Analyze flight test data to validate and refine aerodynamic models and designs
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including structural engineers, propulsion engineers, and control systems engineers

Required qualifications:

  • 7+ years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years with a Master’s degree; or 4 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience
  • 5+ years of experience in aerodynamics or conceptual design on air vehicle programs
  • Familiarity with CFD software and techniques
  • Familiarity with basic aerodynamic tool development in Python / MATLAB
  • Experience in aircraft sizing and conceptual design
  • Strong problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills
  • Proven ability to deliver high-quality solutions in fast-paced, dynamic environments

Preferred qualifications:

  • Background in aircraft aerodynamics across a wide range of flow regimes, from low-subsonic to supersonic flight
  • Significant CFD experience (STAR-CCM+ preferred but not required)
  • MDO experience
  • Experience working in a fast-paced startup or R&D environment
  • Lofting/surfacing experience (ideally in NX)
#LI-AA1 #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.   ###   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. 

How we rate this

Staff Engineer, Aerodynamic Design (R6357) at Shield AI rates 0 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

  1. ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
  2. ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
  3. ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
  4. ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Aerodynamic DesignComputational Fluid DynamicsAircraft DesignAerospace EngineeringPythonMATLABCfd SoftwareStar Ccm

Questions you could be asked

  1. Tell me about a project where aerodynamic design was part of your work. What did you do?
  2. Tell me about a project where computational fluid dynamics was part of your work. What did you do?
  3. Tell me about a project where aircraft design was part of your work. What did you do?
  4. Tell me about a project where aerospace engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
  5. Walk me through how you've used Python in your day-to-day work.

Adapt your resume

  • List these exact terms on your resume: Aerodynamic Design, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Aircraft Design, Aerospace Engineering, and Python. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
  • Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.

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