Structures / Mechanical Test Co-op - January 2027 Co-op

Location

Dallas, TX

Wage

$41 – $70/hr

Employment Type

Full-time

Apply for This Position

Posted on November 3, 2026

Job Description

Overview

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company focused on protecting service members and civilians through intelligent systems. The Structures / Mechanical Test Co-op position offers students a chance to gain hands-on experience in mechanical engineering within a fast-paced aerospace environment.

Responsibilities

  • Help design, assemble, and operate mechanical test fixtures and systems using hydraulic actuation and sensor instrumentation.
  • Support hydraulic system integration, setup, and troubleshooting with guidance from senior engineers.
  • Carry out mechanical, structural, and environmental test plans ensuring accurate data collection.
  • Install, wire, and calibrate sensors such as load cells and strain gauges.
  • Write and maintain Python scripts for test automation and data processing.
  • Analyze test results and document findings in technical reports.
  • Collaborate with engineers on product development and validation.
  • Design test fixtures and components in CAD while learning manufacturability best practices.
  • Support Finite Element Analysis (FEA) comparing analytical predictions with test results.
  • Help fabricate, assemble, and test metallic and composite components.
  • Maintain lab equipment and improve test processes.

Requirements

  • Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's program in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
  • Available for a full-time co-op starting January 2027.
  • Familiarity with CAD software such as Siemens NX, SolidWorks, or Creo.
  • Basic understanding of mechanical systems and engineering fundamentals.
  • Exposure to Python or another programming language for data analysis.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Clear written and verbal communication skills and ability to work well in a team.

Additional Information

  • Term: January–May 2027
  • Potential extension through summer 2027 based on business need, student availability, and performance.
  • Schedule: Full-time co-op
  • Work arrangement: Onsite five days per week.
  • Competitive pay and a housing stipend for qualified hires.

How this job compares in Dallas, TX

Pay in context

At roughly $56/hr, this posting sits about 54% above the $36/hr median for welding jobs in Dallas, TX — toward the top of a $29–$39/hr middle band drawn from 42 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 93% 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 122 other active welding openings in Dallas, TX right now, from 68 different employers. 35 of them were added in the last week. Across Texas as a whole we're tracking 1,149 other active welding openings from 515 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.

The most active employers in Texas at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Austin Industries (34), Zachry Group (28), and Worley (19). 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 Arlington at $39/hr, Dallas at $36/hr, and Pasadena at $36/hr. Dallas is among them.

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. Structures / Mechanical Test Co-op - January 2027 Co-op figures were last recalculated when this page was built.