Senior Engineer, Mechanical Test (R5091)
Do you enjoy working in a dynamic lab environment and contributing to hardware that can directly impact the safety of service members and civilians? Shield AI is looking for a hands-on engineer to help design, test, and validate the next generation of intelligent systems.
The Mechanical Test team’s mission is to inform and improve Shield AI hardware design by quantifying product performance through custom measurement systems, specialized testing, and rigorous analysis. This role will focus on vibration, modal, structural, and environmental testing to help engineering teams understand how our products perform in real-world operating conditions.
We are looking for candidates who are passionate about engineering principles, curious about how things work, and excited to grow in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. You will work closely with cross-functional partners to evaluate design performance, troubleshoot issues, and improve the customer experience.
Success in this role requires technical creativity, strong organization, clear communication, and a willingness to listen, learn, debate respectfully, and solve difficult problems as part of a high-performing team.
- Apply technical and creative problem-solving skills to quickly design, build, and deploy instrumented test and measurement systems.
- Support manual and automated data collection, processing, and analysis.
- Use measurement science and engineering analysis to understand the static and dynamic inputs, loads, and system responses that drive product performance.
- Build trusted relationships with mechanical design teams and apply your expertise to help identify the best design paths quickly.
- Plan and execute test programs, including ground and flight vibration testing, modal testing for finite element model validation, vibration troubleshooting, and strain gauge testing of structural components.
- Perform shaker table testing and support hardware qualification and development test campaigns.
- Maintain test equipment and ensure calibration requirements remain current.
- Develop test plans, technical reports, and detailed data reviews that clearly communicate results and inform design decisions.
- Support other test and engineering activities as needed.
- B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Hands-on experience with vibration testing of mechanical systems; internship, research, or project team experience is applicable.
- Hands-on experience performing MIL-STD testing (e.g., MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461) including vibration, shock, thermal, and EMI/EMC testing.
- Experience with CAD modeling (NX preferred).
- Working knowledge of finite element analysis principles.
- Experience with modal testing.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work hard, act as a trustworthy teammate, hold yourself and others to high standards, and treat others with kindness and respect.
- Track record of taking ownership of development processes, test efforts, or technical features and delivering high-quality outcomes.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced development environment, navigate ambiguity, overcome obstacles, and deliver results on schedule.
- Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Leadership experience on a project, research, or product development team.
- Experience with root cause investigation, failure analysis, design of experiments, or structured problem-solving methods.
- Experience in startup, R&D, aerospace, defense, robotics, UAV, or high-reliability hardware environments.
- Demonstrated adaptability, agility, and ability to innovate under pressure while meeting dynamic project demands.
- How much does the Senior Engineer, Mechanical Test (R5091) at Shield AI pay?
- The posting lists a range of $110K–$160K per year. Ranges reflect what Shield AI publicly declared on the source posting.
- Where is this Senior Engineer, Mechanical Test (R5091) role based?
- The role is based in Dallas, Texas.
- What experience does Shield AI expect for this role?
- The posting is tagged as a senior-level role, typically 5+ years of experience. Check the requirements section for specifics.
- Where is Shield AI headquartered?
- Shield AI is headquartered in San Diego, USA.
- How was this posting sourced?
- This role was pulled directly from Shield AI's Lever careers site. Apply links open in the employer's own ATS — no reposts or aggregator middleware.
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