Propulsion Systems Manufacturing Engineer
US$150,000 – US$230,000 / yr base salary
Posted 2 Sep 2026
Advertised as “Staff Engineer, Propulsion Systems Advance Manufacturing (R5185)”
BranchFactor Summary
The original posting with the fluff stripped out
- Level
- R5185
- Expected experience
- 7+ yrs
- Management level
- People management
- Employment
- On-Site
- Contract
- Full-time
| Base salary | US$150,000 – US$230,000 / yr |
|---|
Field of studyAerospace Engineering, Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering
Study levelBachelor's
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 Staff Propulsion Systems Manufacturing Engineer to lead manufacturing engineering activities for advanced propulsion and fluid systems used in aerospace and defense applications. This role supports engine integration, fuel systems, oil systems, pumps, and related propulsion hardware from development through production.
The ideal candidate has deep experience with propulsion-related manufacturing processes, fluid systems integration, and production support for mission-critical hardware.
What you'll do:
- Lead manufacturing engineering support for propulsion and fluid system assemblies
- Develop and optimize manufacturing processes, tooling, work instructions, and production flows for:
- Engines and propulsion systems
- Fuel systems and fuel tanks
- Oil and lubrication systems
- Pumps and fluid control hardware
- Aerospace vector and thrust systems
- Partner with design engineering to improve manufacturability, reliability, testability, and producibility
- Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions for propulsion manufacturing issues
- Develop work instructions, quality standards, and inspection methods
- Support supplier qualification, process validation, and production readiness reviews
- Lead DFM/DFA reviews and transition new products into manufacturing
- Support system integration, validation, and troubleshooting activities
- Define manufacturing standards, process controls, and acceptance criteria
- Support failure analysis and reliability improvement initiatives
- Collaborate with production, quality, supply chain, and test engineering teams