Sr. Staff Thermal Engineer - Aircraft Avionics & Thermal Systems (R3930)

Seattle, Washingtonfull time

Apply on Employer Site

On Site

senior

H1B: no

f7d8749a-72d6-407c-bf98-292ea630c73a Sr. Staff Thermal Engineer at Shield AI leads design, analysis, and integration of aircraft avionics thermal management systems. The role involves thermal modeling, CFD analysis, test planning, and mentoring peers.

Responsibilities

Are you a passionate and innovative thermal 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 Sr. Staff Thermal Engineer at Shield AI, you will lead the design, analysis, and integration of aircraft avionics thermal management systems, with opportunities to flex into aircraft-level thermal and fluid systems.
This role is best suited for an engineer who thrives on first-principles problem solving, is comfortable with ambiguous, open-ended challenges, and can bridge technical disciplines with strong communication and collaboration skills and the ability to simplify and communicate complex problems. The engineer will be a key contributor in shaping designs, mentoring peers, and ensuring robust thermal solutions that meet mission-critical aerospace requirements.
Contribute to thermal analysis and design efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics and thermal/fluid systems.
Develop and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFD.
Drive test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental results.
Communicate technical findings clearly through executive-level briefings, design reviews, and written reports.
Proactively identify risks, propose solutions, and influence electrical and/or PCBA design direction.

Qualification

Experience guiding trade studies

Required

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
Minimum 10 years of professional experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineering.
Strong expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics.
Deep understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and their integration at component and system level.
Deep understanding of thermal management design elements including TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes, and fans
Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+).
Proficiency with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar.
Demonstrated experience applying first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of leading technical discussions and presenting to stakeholders.
Proven ability to learn and adapt quickly to new tools, processes, and technical challenges in a fast paced, startup environment.
Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Preferred

M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering discipline.
Experience with high altitude aircraft avionics cooling and thermal design.
Familiarity with aircraft integration constraints (power, weight, volume, maintainability, safety).
Hands-on experience with thermal and fluid system testing, instrumentation, and validation.
Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods relevant to thermal management (pumps, heat exchangers, composites, etc.)
Experience guiding trade studies, proposals, and customer interactions in aerospace or defense programs.
Background in multi-disciplinary system integration, spanning avionics, fluid systems, and systems engineering
Full-time regular employee offer package: