Senior Staff Engineer, Actuation Systems Architecture & Design (RX) (R6003) at Shield AI

The role

This Senior Staff Engineer role involves taking full technical ownership of actuation systems for a Group 5 UAV fighter aircraft. You will lead the architecture, design, and integration of mechanisms from first principles through production. The position requires balancing technical rigor with rapid decision-making in an accelerated development environment.

What you'll do

• Lead the architecture and detailed design of actuation systems for airframe mechanisms.
• Manage actuator selection and sizing while performing failure mode analysis.
• Integrate actuation systems with control surfaces and weapons bay doors.
• Coordinate power and thermal interfaces with electrical and management teams.
• Define and track verification requirements across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Execute qualification test plans to mature hardware for production and certification.

What you'll bring

• Active Secret security clearance and US citizenship are required.
• Eight to fifteen years of experience in aircraft actuation systems design.
• Degree in Mechanical Aerospace or Electrical Engineering.
• Expertise in electric actuation and mechanical mechanism integration.
• Experience with military standards including MIL-STD-810 and MIL-HDBK-516.

Your impact

You will drive the successful transition of complex actuation concepts into operational capabilities for advanced unmanned fighter aircraft. By leading design reviews and qualification efforts, you ensure the delivery of reliable, production-ready hardware that meets rigorous airworthiness standards. Your work directly contributes to the mission of protecting service members through intelligent autonomous systems.