Aircraft Engineer Jobs in Texas
Aircraft Engineer jobs in Texas are among the most active in the country, concentrated in aerospace manufacturing, defense systems, and MRO operations across a range from entry-level technician roles through senior systems engineers. The heaviest hiring is in Fort Worth, Dallas, and San Antonio, where established employers like Lockheed Martin, Bell Textron, and Boeing have major facilities. The most in-demand specialties are structural analysis, avionics integration, and propulsion systems. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Aircraft Engineer JobsOverview
Open roles8
Top employerLockheed Martin
Top cityDallas, TX
Cities hiring3
Top credentialBachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
Companies hiring6
Showing 5 of 8+ Aircraft Engineer jobs
Staff Engineer, Aircraft Thermal Systems (RX) (R6002)
We won't show you this job again
Added 5d ago
Shield AI
Staff Engineer, Aircraft Thermal Systems (RX) (R6002)
Dallas, Texas
Added 5d ago
Aerospace Mechanical Engineer - NASA Aircraft Operations
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Added 1w ago
Qualified Technical Services, Inc
Aerospace Mechanical Engineer - NASA Aircraft Operations
Houston, Texas
Added 1w ago
Aircraft Maintenance Support Engineer - E2
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Added 3w ago
Lockheed Martin
Aircraft Maintenance Support Engineer - E2
Fort Worth, Texas
Added 3w ago
Aircraft Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineer
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Added 3w ago
SEGULA Technologies
Aircraft Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineer
Dallas, Texas
Added 3w ago
Aircraft Field Support Engineer (Misawa AB), F-35 - Level 3
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Added 1mo ago
Lockheed Martin
Aircraft Field Support Engineer (Misawa AB), F-35 - Level 3
Fort Worth, Texas
Added 1mo ago
Added 5d ago
Staff Engineer, Aircraft Thermal Systems (RX) (R6002)
Shield AI·Dallas, Texas
Job functions:
$146k - $220k/yr
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
1,001-5,000 employees
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:
As a Staff (L4) Aircraft Thermal Systems Engineer, you will take full technical ownership of thermal analysis, design, and vehicle integration for a Group 5 UAV fighter aircraft. You will work from first principles to characterize aircraft-level thermal environments, evaluate heat-transfer pathways, develop cooling solutions, correlate analytical and computational models, and deliver robust thermal systems and hardware in a rapid-iteration development environment. This position requires a balance of technical rigor, rapid decision-making, and hands-on engineering to efficiently transition concepts into operational capability. The ideal candidate is comfortable solving complex problems, taking ownership, working within an accelerated aircraft development environment, and is motivated by getting meaningful capability into the hands of operators quickly.
What you'll do:
- Thermal System Ownership: Define and mature aircraft-level thermal environments and thermal management solutions for vehicle bays, hot surfaces, and other thermal-critical installations.
- Thermal Analysis and Modeling: Perform first-principles heat transfer and fluid mechanics calculations, then develop analytical, finite-difference, and CFD models to characterize conduction, convection, radiation, and coupled thermal-fluid behavior.
- Cooling System Design: Design and evaluate active and passive cooling solutions, including heat-rejection paths, airflow, ducting, thermal interfaces, and hardware needed to manage vehicle thermal loads.
- Requirements and Risk Management: Generate thermal requirements, assess technical risks, and develop actionable design recommendations that balance thermal performance with vehicle power, mass, volume, maintainability, and integration constraints.
- Vehicle and Hardware Integration: Develop thermal hardware layouts and CAD models, and resolve interfaces with structures, avionics, fluid systems, EWIS, and adjacent mechanical systems.
- Test and Validation: Define qualification and verification test plans, design test rigs, support instrumentation and data acquisition, and correlate analytical and computational models with test data.
- Hardware and Supplier Execution: Author technical specifications and statements of work for thermal hardware, evaluate suppliers, and drive supplier technical execution through prototype build and test.
- Qualification and Hardware Delivery: Define and execute qualification test plans per MIL-STD-810, using results to mature the design into production-ready hardware and support MIL-HDBK-516 Airworthiness Certification.
- Technical Leadership: Communicate thermal findings through design reviews and technical reports, guide cross-disciplinary teams in applying thermal and fluid fundamentals, and influence vehicle-level thermal design decisions.
Required qualifications:
- Clearance required: US Citizens Only & Must have an Active Secret or higher clearance.
- Experience: 7 to 12 years of direct experience in aerospace thermal engineering, environmental control systems, or vehicle thermal and fluid system development.
- Education: B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Core Fundamentals: Deep mastery of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics applied to aircraft or defense systems.
- Modeling and Analysis: Demonstrated capability with first-principles hand calculations, finite-difference methods, and CFD or thermal-analysis tools such as FloEFD, STAR-CCM+, Thermal Desktop, or equivalent.
- Thermal System Design: Demonstrated ability to design active and passive cooling solutions and manage thermal environments for aircraft bays, engine bays, hot surfaces, or comparable aerospace installations.
- CAD and PLM: Experience in 3D CAD modeling, thermal hardware layout, routing, and drawing release with Siemens NX, CATIA, Creo, SolidWorks, or equivalent PLM workflows.
- Hardware and Supplier Execution: Proven track record sourcing COTS/custom aerospace components, driving suppliers to schedule, and assembling benchtop or vehicle-level test setups.
- Autonomy: Demonstrated ability to self-direct, prioritize technical tasks without oversight, and deliver functional hardware under tight timelines.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience with high-altitude aircraft thermal management, analysis, and design.
- Hands-on experience with thermal and fluid system testing, instrumentation, data acquisition, and validation.
- Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods relevant to aerospace thermal management.
- Background in multi-disciplinary system integration spanning avionics, fluid systems, and systems engineering.
- Familiarity with aerospace environmental and airworthiness requirements and test standards, including MIL-STD-810, MIL-HDBK-310, RTCA DO-160, and SAE AIR or ARP standards.
$146,480 - $219,720 a year
#LI-MS2
#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.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. 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.
Shield AI
Staff Engineer, Aircraft Thermal Systems (RX) (R6002)
Dallas, Texas
Added 5d ago1,001-5,000 employees
Job functions:
$146k - $220k/yr
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
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:
As a Staff (L4) Aircraft Thermal Systems Engineer, you will take full technical ownership of thermal analysis, design, and vehicle integration for a Group 5 UAV fighter aircraft. You will work from first principles to characterize aircraft-level thermal environments, evaluate heat-transfer pathways, develop cooling solutions, correlate analytical and computational models, and deliver robust thermal systems and hardware in a rapid-iteration development environment. This position requires a balance of technical rigor, rapid decision-making, and hands-on engineering to efficiently transition concepts into operational capability. The ideal candidate is comfortable solving complex problems, taking ownership, working within an accelerated aircraft development environment, and is motivated by getting meaningful capability into the hands of operators quickly.
What you'll do:
- Thermal System Ownership: Define and mature aircraft-level thermal environments and thermal management solutions for vehicle bays, hot surfaces, and other thermal-critical installations.
- Thermal Analysis and Modeling: Perform first-principles heat transfer and fluid mechanics calculations, then develop analytical, finite-difference, and CFD models to characterize conduction, convection, radiation, and coupled thermal-fluid behavior.
- Cooling System Design: Design and evaluate active and passive cooling solutions, including heat-rejection paths, airflow, ducting, thermal interfaces, and hardware needed to manage vehicle thermal loads.
- Requirements and Risk Management: Generate thermal requirements, assess technical risks, and develop actionable design recommendations that balance thermal performance with vehicle power, mass, volume, maintainability, and integration constraints.
- Vehicle and Hardware Integration: Develop thermal hardware layouts and CAD models, and resolve interfaces with structures, avionics, fluid systems, EWIS, and adjacent mechanical systems.
- Test and Validation: Define qualification and verification test plans, design test rigs, support instrumentation and data acquisition, and correlate analytical and computational models with test data.
- Hardware and Supplier Execution: Author technical specifications and statements of work for thermal hardware, evaluate suppliers, and drive supplier technical execution through prototype build and test.
- Qualification and Hardware Delivery: Define and execute qualification test plans per MIL-STD-810, using results to mature the design into production-ready hardware and support MIL-HDBK-516 Airworthiness Certification.
- Technical Leadership: Communicate thermal findings through design reviews and technical reports, guide cross-disciplinary teams in applying thermal and fluid fundamentals, and influence vehicle-level thermal design decisions.
Required qualifications:
- Clearance required: US Citizens Only & Must have an Active Secret or higher clearance.
- Experience: 7 to 12 years of direct experience in aerospace thermal engineering, environmental control systems, or vehicle thermal and fluid system development.
- Education: B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Core Fundamentals: Deep mastery of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics applied to aircraft or defense systems.
- Modeling and Analysis: Demonstrated capability with first-principles hand calculations, finite-difference methods, and CFD or thermal-analysis tools such as FloEFD, STAR-CCM+, Thermal Desktop, or equivalent.
- Thermal System Design: Demonstrated ability to design active and passive cooling solutions and manage thermal environments for aircraft bays, engine bays, hot surfaces, or comparable aerospace installations.
- CAD and PLM: Experience in 3D CAD modeling, thermal hardware layout, routing, and drawing release with Siemens NX, CATIA, Creo, SolidWorks, or equivalent PLM workflows.
- Hardware and Supplier Execution: Proven track record sourcing COTS/custom aerospace components, driving suppliers to schedule, and assembling benchtop or vehicle-level test setups.
- Autonomy: Demonstrated ability to self-direct, prioritize technical tasks without oversight, and deliver functional hardware under tight timelines.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience with high-altitude aircraft thermal management, analysis, and design.
- Hands-on experience with thermal and fluid system testing, instrumentation, data acquisition, and validation.
- Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods relevant to aerospace thermal management.
- Background in multi-disciplinary system integration spanning avionics, fluid systems, and systems engineering.
- Familiarity with aerospace environmental and airworthiness requirements and test standards, including MIL-STD-810, MIL-HDBK-310, RTCA DO-160, and SAE AIR or ARP standards.
$146,480 - $219,720 a year
#LI-MS2
#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.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. 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.
See All 8 Aircraft Engineer Jobs in Texas
Find roles in Texas that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Aircraft Engineer JobsAircraft Engineer Jobs by City in Texas
Where Texas roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Dallas
4 jobsFort Worth
3 jobsHouston
1 jobAircraft Engineer Job Market in Texas
A snapshot from current Texas openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What Texas Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in aircraft engineer jobs across Texas.
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related field
- FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificate or engineer designation relevant to the aircraft type
- Proficiency with structural analysis tools such as NASTRAN, CATIA, or equivalent CAD platforms
- Experience with DO-178, DO-254, or MIL-SPEC compliance standards for defense or commercial programs
- Active DoD security clearance or eligibility to obtain one for defense contractor roles in Texas
- Familiarity with AS9100 quality management systems and aerospace manufacturing processes
Aircraft Engineer Jobs in Texas: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become an aircraft engineer in Texas?
Most aircraft engineer roles in Texas require at least a bachelor's degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering from an ABET-accredited program. Texas does not issue a state-specific aircraft engineer license, but many positions require FAA designee credentials or a Professional Engineer license through the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Defense roles often add a security clearance requirement on top of the engineering degree.
How much do aircraft engineers make in Texas?
Aircraft engineers in Texas earn a median of about $130,270 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $82,990 for the lowest 10% to over $195,190 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire aircraft engineers in Texas?
Employers hiring aircraft engineers in Texas right now include Lockheed Martin, Citadel Completions, and Shield AI, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Texas's large defense and aerospace manufacturing base means most of the consistent volume comes from prime contractors and their tier-one suppliers concentrated in the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio corridors.
Which Texas cities have the most aircraft engineer jobs?
Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston have the most aircraft engineer openings in Texas. Fort Worth and Dallas anchor the market through the concentration of Lockheed Martin, Bell Textron, and Boeing facilities in the Metroplex, while San Antonio's strong military aviation presence at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and Kelly Field sustains steady demand from both government and contractor employers.
How can I get hired as an aircraft engineer in Texas with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a new-graduate rotational or internship-to-hire program at a major Texas defense contractor. Lockheed Martin's Aeronautics division in Fort Worth and Bell Textron in Fort Worth both run structured early-career programs that convert interns and new graduates into full-time engineers. Candidates who earn an FAA A&P certificate alongside their degree, or who complete a co-op at a Texas MRO operation, stand out significantly when competing for those first roles.
Where can I find and apply to aircraft engineer jobs in Texas?
You can find and apply to aircraft engineer jobs in Texas on Migrate Mate, which lists current Texas openings across the aerospace, defense, and MRO sectors. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly through each listing.
See All 8 Aircraft Engineer Jobs in Texas
Find roles in Texas that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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