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Staff Mass Properties Engineer

Shield AI
Full-time
On-site
San Diego Metro Area, California, United States
Aviation Tech
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent, autonomous systems. Its products include Hivemind Enterprise—EdgeOS, Pilot, Commander, and Forge—as well as V-BAT and Sentient Vision Systems (wide-area motion imaging software). With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide.  For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X and Instagram.    

Job Description
Are you a passionate and innovative engineer looking to help develop next-generation autonomous aircraft? Are you eager to make a positive impact 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 Mass Properties Engineer, you will play a critical role in the development and optimization of autonomous aircraft systems, ensuring precise mass properties tracking and analysis throughout the product lifecycle. Your expertise will support aircraft performance trade studies, loads development, structural analysis, cost analysis, and mission effectiveness evaluations. This role is essential in driving the success of Shield AI’s next-gen autonomous vehicles, ensuring they meet stringent weight, balance, and efficiency requirements.

What you'll do:

    • Lead and participate in system-level trade studies to optimize payload, propulsion, power distribution, thermal management, and flight dynamics.
    • Conduct mass properties estimation for early-stage designs, prototyping, and full-scale production.
    • Estimate, calculate, and verify weight, center of gravity, and inertia properties for components, assemblies, and complete aircraft systems.
    • Develop and refine analysis tools and methods for mass properties estimation and optimization.
    • Generate and maintain mass properties reports for engineering, manufacturing, and leadership teams.
    • Implement and execute mass properties verification tests to validate design assumptions.
    • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including aerodynamics, structures, avionics, propulsion, and manufacturing to ensure mass properties are controlled throughout development.
    • Maintain and update the mass properties database to track weight trends across vehicle programs.

Required qualifications:

    • B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Material Science/Engineering, or related field.
    • 3+ years of experience in mass properties analysis within aerospace, defense, or high-tech vehicle development.
    • Proficiency in CAD software (SolidWorks, Siemens NX, or similar).
    • Familiarity with mass properties industry standards (ATA100, SAWE RP A-7, RP 7, RP 8, or predecessors).
    • Experience defining mass properties requirements and ensuring compliance across design iterations.
    • Experience developing and maintaining a Mass Properties Management and Control Plan.
    • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
$141,305 - $211,957 a year
#LI-JW2
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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. 
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