Senior Field Services Engineer

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. 

The HMS Demo & Test Operations Support role is responsible for coordinating demo flight operations, equipment staging, transportation, logistics, site support, and field execution for flight test campaigns, demonstrations, operational evaluations, and customer events—ensuring personnel, platforms, payloads, communications, ground control systems, and supporting equipment are ready where and when needed.

The HMS Demo & Test Operations Support role serves as the demonstration and flight test operator and SME for Group 1/2 UAS assets and their operational use. Responsibilities include engaging operators, customers, and mission stakeholders to understand mission requirements and constraints; developing tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and concepts of operations (CONOPS) aligned with customers’ mission-essential tasks; and supporting operator familiarization, training, and documentation for effective autonomy-system use.

This position works closely with software, systems, and flight test teams to support the integration, validation, and operational assessment of autonomy capabilities in lab, ground, and flight environments.

What You'll Do:

• Work directly with the test team and BD on product capabilities and customer requirements.

• Bridge autonomy-system development, test, and field employment by bringing operational realism, a mission-user perspective, logistics coordination, and deployment-readiness expertise to autonomy-enabled capabilities.

• Develop representative mission scenarios and assess operational effectiveness, usability, suitability, supportability, and field readiness. Translate real-world mission needs into test objectives, measures, and evaluation criteria that complement the technical assessments performed by engineering and Flight Test Operations.

• Operate flight test platforms in support of daily fly-fix-fly verification activities.

• Serve as a primary operator for Group 1/2 UAS platforms during operational testing and demonstrations.

• Capture field observations, operational lessons, customer feedback, and sustainment needs, then convert them into actionable recommendations for engineering and program teams to improve product design, deployment planning, training, and transition to operational use.

• Configure, inspect, maintain, and troubleshoot aircraft, payloads, autopilot systems, and ground control stations.

• Coordinate aircraft readiness, pre-flight inspections, launch and recovery operations, and post-flight maintenance activities.

• Execute operational test procedures and mission plans while ensuring compliance with established safety and operational requirements.

• Support the development, refinement, and enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs), checklists, and operational best practices for demonstrations and testing.

• Ensure compliance with FAA regulations, airspace requirements, range procedures, and company flight operations standards.

• Assist in flight planning, airspace coordination, mission scheduling, and operational risk assessments.

Required Qualifications:

• 4+ years of experience operating and maintaining Group 1/2 UAS platforms and a strong background in working with military units, both foreign and domestic.

• Strong knowledge of COTS UAS hardware, autopilot systems, ground control stations, communications systems, and payload integration.

• Ability to engage customer UAS and ground operators on mission requirements.

• Clear understanding of customer mission-essential tasks and concepts of operations (CONOPS).

• Experience developing, implementing, and executing standard operating procedures (SOPs), checklists, and operational processes.

• Working knowledge of FAA regulations, National Airspace System (NAS) operations, airspace coordination, and flight authorization requirements.

• Experience conducting flight operations in dynamic and complex test environments.

• Strong understanding of mission planning, operational employment, logistics, and field coordination.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to brief large groups.

• Ability to turn qualitative user feedback into structured requirements or recommendations.

• Ability to coordinate effectively with software, systems, safety, and flight operations personnel.

• FAA Part 107 certification or equivalent UAS operational experience.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a SECRET clearance; U.S. citizenship required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting C2 operations, tactical communications, aviation or maritime operations, and operational test and evaluation events.

• Experience supporting autonomy, AI-enabled systems, or developmental flight test programs, particularly with multi-aircraft or distributed UAS operations.

• Experience in training delivery, sustainment planning, and range/event support.

• Familiarity with standard control and autopilot elements such as QGC, Mission Planner, ArduPilot, and PX4.

• U.S. military or government agency UAS operations experience.

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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.

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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.