About the posting
“With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide.”
Read the full posting on Shieldai's site
Seen live Oct 23, 2026; first seen Oct 22, 2026.
Pay in context
This posting lists $220,000 to $330,000 a year, a midpoint of $275,000.
The midpoint is higher than 91 percent of engineering (not software) postings in Seattle, WA that list pay.
Washington has a pay transparency law: covered employers must include a pay range in a job posting. Which employers are covered depends on their size.
How long it has been open
Posted Jun 12, 2026, 133 days ago, and seen on Shieldai's careers page today.
At 133 days old, it is over the 53-day median.
Shieldai at a glance
Shieldai has 552 open postings that we can see, 39 in engineering (not software); 97 percent list pay.
The application
Applying goes through Lever.
Trailhead fills Greenhouse, Lever and Ashby forms on your computer; on the phone and on other systems it hands you your answers and your resume.
Seniority
Level: manager.
The posting mentions 10+ years.
Place and cost of living
On site in Seattle, WA; prices in WA run 7 percent above the US average.
Similar jobs at similar pay
The engineering (not software) market in Seattle, WA
69 engineering (not software) postings in Seattle, WA are open right now, from 14 employers.
Half of them have been open 53 days or less.
From Shieldai's posting
This is Shieldai's own text, as published on its job board. We last checked it on Oct 23, 2026. Apply on Shieldai's site. We remove a posting when the employer closes it.
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.
What you'll do
- Lead the team responsible for the architecture and design for all mechanical, thermal, and EWIS elements of ground and flight avionics on the X-BAT program
- Take ownership of a small team of thermal, mechanical, and EWIS engineers, establish leads and sub-managers, and grow the team to support program goals in the immediate and long term
- While you will not be expected to design as an individual contributor, you must have this experience in your past to establish what "right" looks like for your organization
- Develop standards and processes for thermal and mechanical engineering of critical avionics hardware
- Partner closely with electrical engineering, RF, PCB design, reliability, supply chain, structures, manufacturing and other disciplines to drive full scope product delivery
- Own your team's output of complex electro-mechanical solutions for flight critical avionics systems that withstand harsh environments
Required qualifications
- B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering
- 10+ years of experience in mechanical design around electronics and electrical systems
- Strong experience in CAD software (NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or similar) for 3D modeling, drawing creation, and system layout
- Experience working with electrical engineers to develop avionics packaging
- Experience with finite element analysis (FEA), thermal analysis, and fatigue/lifecycle testing
- Experience working directly with fabrication shops, contract manufacturers, and suppliers
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile development environment with evolving priorities
- A demonstrated record of working hard, being trustworthy, holding yourself to high standards, and being kind to others
- Ability to obtain a Secret level security clearance
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.