Shield AI · 1 day ago
Principal Thermal Engineer - Aircraft Avionics & Thermal Systems (R4353)
San Diego, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff
$194K/yr - $291K/yr
12+ years expShield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company focused on protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. As a Principal Thermal Engineer, you will lead thermal analysis and design efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics and aircraft-level thermal systems, while mentoring cross-disciplinary teams and influencing system architecture decisions.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)Autonomous VehiclesDronesMachine LearningNational Security
Responsibilities
Lead thermal analysis and design efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics and aircraft-level thermal/fluid systems
Architect and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFD
Provide leadership in trade studies, system architecture decisions, and technical risk assessments
Define and oversee test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental results
Mentor and guide cross-disciplinary teams in applying thermal/fluid fundamentals
Communicate technical findings through executive-level briefings, design reviews, and technical reports
Proactively identify program risks, propose solutions, and influence avionics and PCBA design direction
Represent Shield AI in technical reviews, proposals, and customer interactions
Qualification
Required
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
Minimum 12 years of professional experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineering
Deep expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics
Advanced understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and their integration at the component and system level
Advanced knowledge 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 ability to apply first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems
Strong communication and leadership skills, with experience presenting to executives and customers
Preferred
M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering discipline
Extensive 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 aerospace thermal management
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
Benefits
Bonus
Benefits
Equity
Temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Company
Shield AI
Shield AI is a deep-tech company that focuses on developing AI-powered systems to enhance the safety of service members and civilians.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Shield AI has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (3)
2024 (3)
2021 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$1.31BKey Investors
Hercules CapitalUS Innovative Technology FundSnowpoint Ventures
2025-03-06Series F· $240M
2023-12-29Debt Financing· $200M
2023-10-31Series F· $300M
Leadership Team
Gary Steele
Chief Executive Officer
Brandon Tseng
Co-Founder
Recent News
Company data provided by crunchbase