Staff Engineer, Simulation Modeling

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Shield AI is building autonomous aircraft that push the limits of aviation. The Software Integration & Operations (SIO) team builds and sustains the release systems that make safe, rapid, and repeatable deployment of aircraft software possible.

As a Simulation Modeling Engineer, you will be responsible for improving and adding to our world and aerospace models so that our operator training and internal engineering pipelines have a seamless translation from sim to real results. The capabilities you deliver will directly impact our ability to deliver new features to operators, with speed & ease.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Develop and enhance aerospace physics models (aerodynamics, propulsion, environmental, sensor, etc.) for use in simulation and evaluation.
• Translate theoretical models into efficient, reliable C++ and Matlab implementations with a focus on numerical accuracy and performance.
• Validate models against real-world data and authoritative references (e.g., COESA atmosphere, wind tunnel data, flight test logs).
• Collaborate with simulation and training application teams to ensure models integrate cleanly into operator-facing tools.
• Design automated validation and regression testing strategies for mathematical models to ensure fidelity across releases.
• Prototype and evaluate new modeling techniques (reduced-order models, uncertainty quantification, machine learning–based surrogates) to push the state of the art.
• Document assumptions, equations, and validation results so that both engineers and operators can trust model outputs.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS or higher in Aerospace Engineering, Applied Math, Physics, or related field with 4+ years of aerospace modeling experience.
• 1+ years of experience working on pilot/operator training systems.
• C++ foundation with experience implementing numerical methods.
• Demonstrated experience with aerospace models such as:
• Aerodynamics (lift/drag curves, stability derivatives, dynamic response)
• Atmosphere/environment (COESA, ICAO, gravity, wind models)
• Vehicle dynamics
• Experience validating simulations against real-world or experimental data.
• Ability to write clear documentation explaining assumptions, limitations, and expected behaviors of models.
• Passion for aerospace and autonomous vehicle systems.
• Strong problem-solving mindset with a collaborative and detail-oriented approach.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with Eigen, MATLAB/Simulink, or SciPy for model prototyping and validation.
• Background in multi-body dynamics or flight mechanics.
• Familiarity with sensor models (GPS, IMU, radar, etc.) for simulation environments.
• Knowledge of uncertainty quantification and statistical analysis methods.
• Experience with parallelization or GPU acceleration for compute-heavy models.
• Familiarity with Python for test automation and data analysis pipelines.
• Experience contributing to simulation pipelines in aerospace, defense, or robotics domains.