---
title: 'Manager, Propulsion (Fuel System) (R5088) at Shield AI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/manager-propulsion-fuel-system-r5088-shield-ai-seattle-jpk6dkt1c4e2'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Manager, Propulsion (Fuel System) (R5088) at Shield AI

- **Company:** Shield AI
- **Location:** Seattle, WA
- **Compensation:** $190k–$290k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-05-29
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai/4eace932-a330-48ea-af58-8b4d6cbed953

## Job description

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 Manager of Propulsion to lead fuel system development and integration for the X-BAT vehicle, powered by a fighter-class, afterburning jet engine. This role oversees the architecture, integration, testing, and operational support of flight-critical fuel systems operating across demanding thermal environments, aggressive maneuvering conditions, and mission-critical operating profiles. You will lead engineers and technicians responsible for fuel tanks, fuel delivery systems, venting, pressurization, level sensing, and associated propulsion fluid systems. This role requires deep technical understanding, strong execution leadership, and close coordination across propulsion, flight test, manufacturing, and vehicle integration teams.

What you'll do:

- Lead fuel system development activities from architecture through testing and flight operations.
- Support and mentor fuel system REs responsible for fuel tanks, pumps, valves, vent systems, and associated propulsion hardware.
- Drive system integration efforts considering elevated-G maneuvers, transient operation, vapor ingestion, cavitation, thermal effects, and fault tolerance.
- Guide teams through fuel system thermodynamic and fluid dynamic trade studies involving heat soak, vapor pressure behavior, venting, and transient flow response.
- Coordinate testing activities, instrumentation planning, and performance validation efforts.
- Support failure investigations, root cause analysis, and design iteration activities.
- Ensure schedules, technical execution, and supplier activities remain aligned with program goals.
- Collaborate closely with propulsion, airframe, mission systems, and manufacturing teams.

Required qualifications:

- Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
- 7-10+ years of experience developing aerospace fuel or fluid systems.
- Strong understanding of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and aerospace propulsion fundamentals.
- Deep understanding of compressible and incompressible flow systems and aerospace fluid dynamics.
- Experience with fuel system integration, testing, and operational support.
- Experience leading engineering teams or major subsystem development activities.
- U.S. Citizenship or ability to comply with ITAR requirements.

Preferred qualifications:

- Experience with jet-powered UAVs, tactical aircraft, or aerospace fuel systems.
- Familiarity with GFSSP, REFPROP, ANSYS, or fluid system modeling tools.
- Experience with slosh dynamics, cavitation, vapor ingestion, venting, thermal management, and pressurization systems.
- Background in rocket propulsion fluid systems.
- Experience operating in test-driven aerospace development environments.
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering or related discipline.
- Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

## #LI-MS1

#LD

Full-time regular employee offer package: Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package: Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

###

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

## About Shield AI

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Shield AI builds AI pilots and autonomous systems for military aircraft to protect service members and civilians.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series G, venture-backed)
- **Headquarters**: San Diego, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2015
- **Founders**: Brandon Tseng, Ryan Tseng, Andrew Reiter

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Defense technology, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, aerospace
- Target customers: U.S. Department of Defense, allied nations’ military forces (B2G / Government)
- Mission or purpose statement: “Protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.”

## Products & Services
- **Hivemind**: A combat‑tested, modular autonomy stack for aircraft – self‑driving technology for drones, jets, and helicopters. Includes path‑planning, mapping, state‑estimation, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. Type: Software (AI/autonomy).
- **V‑BAT**: A vertical take‑off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed for persistent ISR and strike missions. Type: Hardware (drone).
- **X‑BAT**: An advanced unmanned aircraft system with extended endurance and payload capacity, built for multi‑domain operations. Type: Hardware (drone).
- **Hivemind Vision Systems**: Computer‑vision and sensor‑fusion capabilities integrated into Hivemind for GPS‑denied environments. Type: Software + sensors.
- **Hivemind Enterprise**: A deployable version of Hivemind for third‑party platforms and commercial applications. Type: Software.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company). Total funding raised: $3.6B (as of Series G in March 2026).
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue ~$21.7M (estimated, private) | Total Funding $3.6B (including $2B Series G led by JP Morgan Chase and Advent International, March 2026).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: JP Morgan Chase, Advent International, Blackstone, Riot Ventures, SnowPoint Ventures, Disruptive (55+ investors total). Strategic partners include U.S. DoD and allied defense forces.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 68.3% YoY to 1,283 employees; 338 active job postings (+57.2% YoY); operates in 5 countries (U.S., Australia, UAE, Norway, Ukraine); recent acquisitions of Sentient Vision Systems (2024), Heron Systems, MARTIN UAV.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Combat‑proven autonomy**: Hivemind has been tested in live military operations, providing a first‑mover advantage in contested, GPS‑denied environments.
- **Full‑stack integration**: Combines software (AI pilot), hardware (V‑BAT, X‑BAT), and sensor systems, creating a tightly integrated product ecosystem.
- **Cross‑functional engineering culture**: Engineers work across AI, robotics, aerospace, and defense – not siloed – enabling rapid iteration and field deployment.
- **Top talent pipeline**: Employees drawn from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Amazon, Anduril, and other leading defense/tech firms.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale AI pilots across all domains**: Extend Hivemind from aircraft to ships, satellites, and ground vehicles (“every military asset”).
- **International expansion**: Growing presence in Australia, Europe, and Middle East via mission autonomy centers and partnerships.
- **Deepen autonomy stack**: Continued investment in reinforcement learning, simulation, and computer vision to maintain leadership in contested‑environment autonomy.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission‑driven work**: Directly contribute to protecting service members and civilians with cutting‑edge AI and robotics.
- **Cross‑functional teams**: Engineers collaborate across disciplines (AI, hardware, software, systems) on real‑world defense challenges.
- **Benefits**: Excellent medical coverage, mental health EAP, paid parental leave, pet insurance, flexible work hours, gym discounts (SD) / on‑site gym (DC), free parking, competitive compensation, 401k with match, stock benefits.
- **Work policy**: Flexible work hours; some offices (e.g., San Diego HQ, Arlington, DC) have on‑site facilities. Remote/hybrid options available depending on role.
- **Growth trajectory**: Rapidly scaling (68% headcount growth) with hundreds of open roles across engineering, operations, and program management.

## Sources
1. [shield.ai/about](https://shield.ai/about/)
2. [shield.ai/careers](https://shield.ai/careers/)
3. [LinkedIn – Shield AI](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shield-ai)
4. [CBInsights – Shield AI](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/shield-ai)
5. [Lever – Shield AI Jobs](https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai)

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