Propulsion Engineering Spring Co-op (January 2026)

Our 2026 Co-Op program is an excellent opportunity for rising graduates to gain deep, hands-on experience in a mission-driven and innovative engineering environment. This paid, full-time program spans multiple months during the academic year, offering extended immersion in real-world hardware development and testing.

The Propulsion Engineering Co-op will contribute to the development and optimization of propulsion systems for V-BAT. Responsibilities include hands-on work with two-stroke engine systems, jet fuel-based fuel delivery systems, and oil management subsystems.

The co-op will support design, testing, and analysis of carbon fiber propellers, thermal management solutions for air-cooled engines, and overall propulsion system integration. The position involves both experimental and analytical tasks, including data acquisition, engine performance evaluation, and design iteration. This role provides direct exposure to small engine combustion, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, mechanical design, and UAV propulsion architecture.

The ideal start date is January 2026, and the end date is flexible (around~6 months).

What you'll do:

• Own a development project that is tailored to the start date and duration of your co-op.
• Collaborate with engineers in design, test, and validation of V-BAT UAV propulsion components, with an emphasis on designing for manufacturability (DFM).
• Support development of systems related to oil delivery, fuel delivery, or thermal management for air-cooled piston engines.
• Conduct data collection, performance analysis, and report generation from engine and propeller tests.
• Participate in troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and implementation of propulsion system improvements.

Required qualifications:

• Have completed at least the 2nd year of a relevant degree. Typically, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• Strong technical fundamentals.
• Have been part of an engineering team/club, preferably with a role related to propulsion.
• Experience with mechanical design software and tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar.
• Demonstrated history of showing ownership of project outcomes and delivering exceptional results.
• Record of working hard, being a trustworthy teammate, holding yourself and others to high standards, and being kind to others.

$37 - $55 an hour

Rising Bachelor's graduate = $37/hour

Rising Master's graduate = $45/hour

Rising PhD graduate = $55/hour

+ Housing stipend provided for those who qualify.

This role may also be eligible for certain benefits like PTO, 401k, healthcare, etc.

#intern

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.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.