Senior Manager, Mechanisms Engineering; R4858 Security Clearance

Position: Senior Manager, Mechanisms Engineering (R4858) with Security Clearance
Founded in 2015, 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 and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. 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 (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). . Follow Shield AI on Linked In , X , Instagram , and You Tube .

Job Description:

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Manager, Mechanisms Engineering to support the development of mechanisms for our next-generation autonomous aircraft program. As a contributor on the Launch and Recovery Vehicle team you will lead the design and development of high-performance mechanisms from concept through production release. In this role, you'll lead and contribute to the development of complex, mission-critical technologies while guiding a talented team to deliver at a high level.

Blending hands-on technical work with leadership, you'll help drive innovation, solve challenging problems, and bring cutting-edge systems from concept to reality. What you'll do:
Functional Excellence:
* Directly contribute to the design, analysis, and integration of mechanical systems and subsystems for X-BAT Launch and Recovery Vehicle.
* Establish and improve pragmatic mechanical engineering standards, templates, specifications, and best practices that increase design quality, reduce rework, and enable faster iteration.
* Own mechanical engineering deliverables across the product lifecycle-from early concept and prototyping through test, production, and field support-with a bias toward execution and delivery.
* Own failure mode analysis and reliability modeling for mechanical systems, establish lightweight, repeatable practices (e.g., FMEA, fault trees) that proactively identify risks, reduce field failures, and inform design tradeoffs.
* Partner closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Program Management, and Flight Operations to ensure designs are buildable, testable, and reliable in real-world environments.
* Provide hands-on technical support during ground and flight testing, demos, and field operations; rapidly troubleshoot and implement design fixes under tight timelines. Team Leadership and Development:
* Lead, mentor, and develop a team of mechanical engineers, providing technical guidance, regular feedback, and clear expectations for ownership and execution.
* Recruit and hire experienced mechanical engineers to strengthen team capability, elevate technical standards, and improve mentorship depth.
* Act as a player-coach: balance meaningful individual technical contribution with team leadership, design reviews, and day-to-day unblock of engineers.
* Establish team norms around accountability, decision-making speed, and engineering rigor-ensuring high-quality output without slowing momentum.
* Set clear priorities aligned with program goals; actively manage team bandwidth, identify risks early, and communicate tradeoffs to leadership.
* Drive clear and concise technical communication, ensuring design decisions, assumptions, and tradeoffs are well-documented and understood across functions.

Required qualifications:

* Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
* 10+ years of experience in mechanical design for aerospace, ground support equipment, or related ruggedized hardware systems.
* 3+ years of leadership/manger with demonstrated excellence in building, retaining, and leading a high performing engineering team
* Proficiency in 3D CAD software (NX preferred) with demonstrated ability to create detailed GD&T-compliant component and assembly 3D models and drawings.
* Proficiency in developing drawing templates/standards, and design/manufacturing specifications.
* Familiarity with industry standards (ASME, ISO, ASTM, or industry-specific regulatory requirements).
* Experience with engineering analysis methods (FEA, stress, thermal, tolerance stack-up, fatigue, fluid flow as applicable) to validate design integrity.
* Ownership of 2-3 full product development cycles from concept through release to production to on-going customer sustainment.
* Cross-functional collaboration experience with other Engineering Functions, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Program Management, and Field Operations.
* Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-ownership development environment with evolving priorities
* Strong written and verbal technical communication skills.
* Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Preferred qualifications:

* M.S. degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.
* Experience supporting UAV, DoD, or aerospace full vehicle programs.
* Familiarity with aerospace standards (MIL-STD, ASME Y14.5, FAA).
* Knowledge of manufacturing processes (machining, sheet metal, injection molding, casting, additive…