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Shield AI

Staff Engineer, Mechanical Design - Launch and Recovery Systems (R4572)

Location

Dallas, TX

Wage

$160,000 – $240,000/yr

Employment Type

Full-time

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Posted on September 15, 2026

Job Description

Overview

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company focused on developing AI-powered autonomous aircraft for national defense. They are seeking a Staff Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the design, development, and testing of Ground Support Equipment for their next-generation unmanned systems.

Responsibilities

  • Design and develop mechanical systems for Ground Support Equipment, including power units and launch & recovery systems.
  • Create detailed CAD models, drawings, and specifications for manufacturing and assembly.
  • Conduct structural, thermal, and fatigue analysis to ensure durability and reliability of GSE.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate GSE with aircraft systems.
  • Perform trade studies and system optimization to enhance support systems.
  • Oversee prototyping, testing, and validation of GSE designs.
  • Develop technical documentation, test procedures, and support manuals.
  • Work with suppliers to ensure cost-effective production of GSE.
  • Support flight test campaigns with engineering support for ground systems.

Requirements

  • 7+ years of experience in mechanical design for aerospace or ground support equipment.
  • Expertise in CAD software (SolidWorks, CATIA, NX, or similar).
  • Strong background in structural analysis and manufacturing processes.
  • Experience designing deployable and field-ready aerospace support equipment.
  • Knowledge of MIL-STD design requirements for aerospace ground support systems.
  • Experience with finite element analysis, thermal analysis, and fatigue testing.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile development environment.
  • Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.
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How this job compares in Dallas, TX

Pay in context

At roughly $96/hr, this posting sits about 175% above the $35/hr median for welding jobs in Dallas, TX — toward the top of a $27–$39/hr middle band drawn from 46 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 100% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. Pay that far above local median usually comes attached to something: a harder cert requirement, travel, night shift, or overtime that isn't really optional. Worth establishing which before you accept.

The local market in Dallas, TX

We're tracking 121 other active welding openings in Dallas, TX right now, from 79 different employers. 48 of them were added in the last week. Across Texas as a whole we're tracking 1,395 other active welding openings from 683 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Dallas, or widen the search to Texas.

Shield AI currently has 3 other openings live in Texas, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in Texas at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Welding Shop in Austin, TX (26), Zachry Group (25), and Austin Industries (25). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Texas, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Burleson at $40/hr, La Porte at $38/hr, and Midlothian at $38/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Dallas, TX

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Staff Engineer, Mechanical Design - Launch and Recovery Systems (R4572) figures were last recalculated when this page was built.