Senior Engineer Propulsion - Engine Performance
Senior Engineer Propulsion - Engine Performance at Shield AI — Dallas, TX, US
- Company: Shield AI
- Location: Dallas, TX, US
- Employment type: Full-time
- Salary: $117,000–$176,000 a year
- Posted: 2026-09-21
About this role
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, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. 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.
Job Description:
We are seeking a Propulsion Performance Engineer to own engine calibration and performance for the reciprocating engines that power the V-BAT platform. This role serves as the technical owner for engine calibration strategy — driving test plans, ECU tuning, and performance analysis from bench through flight test — and is accountable for the torque, power, speed, and fuel efficiency characteristics the engine delivers across its full operating envelope.
You'll work hands-on with engine hardware, electronic fuel injection and engine control systems, and engine test stands, creating and executing engine testing strategies under the direction of senior staff propulsion engineers. Candidates with a background in air-cooled or aviation two-stroke engines are especially encouraged to apply; at minimum, we're looking for someone with deep hands-on experience on reciprocating engines (four-stroke or two-stroke) who can own calibration decisions with minimal oversight.
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