Power Electronics - Thermal Engineer Senior Staff

Dallas, Texas / San Diego, California / Boston, MAX-BAT Division – X-BAT Engineering - Avionics /Full Time Employee /On-siteShield 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 . Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. Job Description:Are you a passionate and innovative thermal engineer looking to help develop state of the art aircraft? 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 Senior Staff Thermal Engineer at Shield AI, you will lead the design, analysis, and integration of aircraft avionics thermal management systems. We are designing a high voltage, high power system using custom power electronics and energy storage. 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.What you'll do: Own thermal analysis and design efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics including custom power electronicsDevelop and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFDProvide technical leadership in trade studies, system architecture decisions, and risk assessmentsLead cross-functional teams designing power electronic circuits and environmental enclosures. Provide design requirements that impact circuit part selection, board layout, material selection, and other design aspectsDrive test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental resultsMentor junior engineers and guide cross-disciplinary teams in applying thermal/fluid fundamentalsCommunicate technical findings clearly through executive-level briefings, design reviews, and written reportsProactively identify risks, propose solutions, and influence electrical and/or PCBA design directionRequired qualifications: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related disciplineMinimum 7 years of professional experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineeringStrong expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanicsDeep understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and their integration at component and system levelDeep understanding of thermal management design elements including TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes, and fansProficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+)Proficiency with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similarDemonstrated experience applying first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problemsStrong written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of leading technical discussions and presenting to stakeholdersProven ability to learn and adapt quickly to new tools, processes, and technical challenges in a fast paced, startup environmentAbility to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.$173,080 - $259,620 a year#LI-JM2#LEFull-time regular employee offer package:Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + EquityTemporary 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. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.