Senior Staff Engineer, Actuation Systems Architecture & Design (RX) (R6003)

Shield AI
Dallas
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeUSD 173,760 - 260,640 annuallyFunction: Architecture & Urban PlanningExperience: 8-15 yearsEducation: bachelorsSkills: ["Technical ownership","Problem-solving","Rapid decision-making","Self-direction","Cross-disciplinary collaboration"]

Own the architecture, requirements, and detailed design of actuation systems for a Group 5 UAV fighter aircraft. Lead actuator selection, sizing, sequencing, redundancy, FMEA, and interfaces across bay doors and vehicle mechanisms. Drive integration with control surfaces and weapon bay mechanisms, manage power/thermal interfaces, and establish verification traceability. Define and execute qualification tests aligned to MIL-STD-810 and support MIL-HDBK-516 airworthiness certification through production readiness.

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FursaFursa
Shield AI
Shield AI
19 hours ago

Senior Staff Engineer, Actuation Systems Architecture & Design (RX) (R6003)

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Source: Company careers pageValidated by: Fursa AI
Last checked: 15 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Own the architecture, requirements, and detailed design of actuation systems for a Group 5 UAV fighter aircraft. Lead actuator selection, sizing, sequencing, redundancy, FMEA, and interfaces across bay doors and vehicle mechanisms. Drive integration with control surfaces and weapon bay mechanisms, manage power/thermal interfaces, and establish verification traceability. Define and execute qualification tests aligned to MIL-STD-810 and support MIL-HDBK-516 airworthiness certification through production readiness.
Location: Dallas
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Architecture & Urban Planning
Seniority: Mid level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Lead actuation system architecture, requirements definition, and detailed design for bay doors and other airframe mechanisms.
  • •Own actuator selection, sizing, sequencing, redundancy management, failure mode analysis, and interfaces with actuated mechanisms.
  • •Drive integration of actuation systems with control surfaces and weapon bay/store separation-adjacent mechanisms, including timing, load, sealing, and structural interface requirements.
  • •Own actuator power architecture and interfaces with EPS, and manage heat-generation/heat-rejection interfaces with thermal management.
  • •Define verification traceability for actuation requirements and execute qualification test plans per MIL-STD-810 to mature designs into production-ready hardware supporting MIL-HDBK-516 airworthiness certification.

Pay and Benefits

Salary: USD 173,760 - 260,640 annually

Key Requirements

  • •8–15 years designing aircraft actuation systems, with hands-on depth in electric actuation (EMA/EHA) or centralized hydraulics and familiarity with related systems.
  • •Demonstrated depth in actuator sizing, power/thermal interfaces, FMEA, redundancy management, and mechanical mechanism integration.
  • •Experience leading multi-disciplinary actuation design and integration across electrical power, thermal management, structures, and adjacent mechanical stakeholders.
  • •Familiarity with MIL-HDBK-516 and MIL-STD-810 for actuation and mechanical systems, including support for SRR, PDR, and CDR on a DoD or fighter-class aircraft program.
  • •B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Experience:8-15 yearsAircraftUAVDefense-techAerospaceElectric actuationDoD programs
Education:Bachelor's
Skills:Technical ownershipProblem-solvingRapid decision-makingSelf-directionCross-disciplinary collaboration
Tech Stack:MIL-STD-810MIL-HDBK-516FCASEPSFMEASRRPDRCDRElectric actuation (EMA)Electric actuation (EHA)

Eligibility

Security Clearance:Secret

Company Brief

Shield AI
Develops AI-powered autonomy and software for military aircraft and drones to enable autonomous ISR and combat missions, integrating perception, navigation, and mission planning for defense customers.
Industry: Defense Technology
Company Size: Large (251 to 1,000 employees)
Growth: Scaleup
Funding: Series E+
Headquarters: San Diego, United States
Founded: 2015
WebsiteLinkedIn