Staff Engineer, Propulsion Systems Advance Manufacturing (R5185)

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 www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

We are seeking a Staff Propulsion Systems Manufacturing Engineer to lead manufacturing engineering activities for advanced propulsion and fluid systems used in aerospace and defense applications. This role supports engine integration, fuel systems, oil systems, pumps, and related propulsion hardware from development through production.

The ideal candidate has deep experience with propulsion-related manufacturing processes, fluid systems integration, and production support for mission-critical hardware.

Lead manufacturing engineering support for propulsion and fluid system assemblies

Develop and optimize manufacturing processes, tooling, work instructions, and production flows for:

Engines and propulsion systems

Fuel systems and fuel tanks

Oil and lubrication systems

Pumps and fluid control hardware

Aerospace vector and thrust systems

Partner with design engineering to improve manufacturability, reliability, testability, and producibility

Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions for propulsion manufacturing issues

Develop work instructions, quality standards, and inspection methods

Support supplier qualification, process validation, and production readiness reviews

Lead DFM/DFA reviews and transition new products into manufacturing

Support system integration, validation, and troubleshooting activities

Define manufacturing standards, process controls, and acceptance criteria

Support failure analysis and reliability improvement initiatives

Collaborate with production, quality, supply chain, and test engineering teams

Mentor junior manufacturing engineers

MES & QMS systems

3DEXPERIENCE / Teamcenter (PLM) systems

Supplier manufacturing processes

5S/visual management

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

7+ years of manufacturing engineering experience supporting propulsion or fluid systems

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing

Experience in prototype manufacturing in a startup or rapid-growth environment.

Experience with:

Engine assembly and integration

Fuel and oil systems

Precision fluid system manufacturing

Aerospace propulsion hardware

Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and adapt to changing priorities.

Knowledge of manufacturing process development and production scaling

Strong understanding of DFM/DFA principles

Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies