Senior Thermal Engineer (R3052)

As a Senior Thermal Engineer at Shield AI, your primary responsibilities include owning the thermal design and analysis for both aircraft and ground systems. You'll creatively solve complex thermal design challenges while optimizing cooling solutions to meet performance and reliability standards. Additionally, you will collaborate with various teams on system architecture concerning thermal considerations, lead thermal verification testing, and proactively identify improvements within hardware development projects.

To qualify for the Senior Thermal Engineer role at Shield AI, candidates should possess a B.S. degree in Thermal or Mechanical Engineering or an equivalent field, along with solid experience in performing thermal design. A strong grasp of heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics is fundamental, as well as proficiency in FEA tools like FLOEFD, ANSYS, Icepak, or Flotherm, and experience in 3D modeling using Siemens NX or equivalent software.

At Shield AI, a Senior Thermal Engineer can expect a comprehensive benefits package that encompasses a competitive salary range of $104,000 to $156,000, performance bonuses, equity options, and various health benefits. Moreover, the company is committed to fostering a culture of growth and inclusion, providing employees with opportunities to thrive in their careers while making a positive impact.

Shield AI places a strong emphasis on career development, offering mentorship programs and learning opportunities to Senior Thermal Engineers. The collaborative environment encourages knowledge sharing and innovative thinking, empowering employees to expand their skill sets and take ownership of their projects while working alongside talented peers who are passionate about technology and defense.

The environment at Shield AI is dynamic and fast-paced, perfect for a Senior Thermal Engineer who thrives under pressure. With a strong focus on mission-driven projects, employees enjoy a collaborative workplace where innovative ideas are encouraged and valued, ultimately contributing to the advancement of cutting-edge autonomous systems.

When answering this question, emphasize any specific projects or roles where you applied thermal design principles. Discuss the challenges you faced, the methods you used for thermal analysis, and the results your efforts achieved for UAV performance. Use technical language to demonstrate your expertise.

In your response, highlight your problem-solving methodologies. Discuss how you utilize first principles and analytical tools to frame your approach, and provide examples of innovative solutions you devised. This could also include collaboration with others to arrive at the most effective outcome.

List the specific software tools you are familiar with, such as FLOEFD, ANSYS, or similar programs. Provide examples of how you have used them effectively in past projects and discuss any relevant training or certifications that enhance your capabilities in thermal management.

Choose a project that showcases your leadership in thermal verification testing. Explain your role in planning, executing, and analyzing the tests, and how the insights gained contributed to product improvements or ensured performance reliability. Highlight teamwork and the impact of your leadership.

Describe your approach to task management, including tools and methodologies you use for prioritization. Mention specific examples of when you successfully balanced multiple projects and how you communicated with your team to ensure project milestones were met on time.

Discuss your past experiences in conducting failure analyses. Provide a specific example where you effectively identified the root cause of a thermal issue and the steps you took to rectify it. Highlight the importance of data collection and analysis in informing your conclusions.

In your response, explain how you collaborate with various teams to integrate thermal considerations into early design stages. Discuss the methods you use to gather input and how you advocate for thermal management solutions that align with other engineering disciplines.

Elaborate on how FEA tools influence your thermal design decisions. Provide examples of specific applications where FEA provided crucial insights into design performance and explain how you use simulation data to validate your design concepts effectively.

Detail a specific instance where you identified an opportunity for improvement in a thermal design and implemented a solution. Describe the problem, the innovative changes you made, and the measurable outcomes that resulted from your efforts.

Choose a significant accomplishment in your career that reflects your expertise as a thermal engineer. Discuss the challenges involved, your contributions, and the impact this achievement had on your team, organization, or project, focusing on the beneficial outcomes.