Staff Engineer - Mission Systems

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:

This staff engineer for mission systems will serve as a senior technical leader responsible for the end-to-end engineering of mission systems on advanced next-gen unmanned aircraft, including payloads, communications, avionics, weapons, and associated support systems. This individual will shape the technical direction of programs, ensuring that the aircraft deliver decisive mission capabilities through robust, integrated, and certifiable system designs.

In this role, the engineer will drive mission system architectures, lead requirement development and allocation, and oversee system integration from concept through flight test and fielding. They will ensure that payloads, avionics, and weapons are seamlessly integrated into the aircraft while meeting mission performance, safety, airworthiness, and compliance objectives.

What You'll Do:

• Lead system architecture and requirements development and integration for payloads, avionics, and weapons integration

• Serve as a technical subject matter expert for mission systems engineering across the aircraft program

• Drive trade studies and system-of-systems analysis to balance performance, cost, and schedule

• Oversee integration and test campaigns, from bench-level hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) to flight test

• Ensure compliance with MIL-HDBK-516C, DO-178C, DO-254, and related standards

• Collaborate with program management to de-risk architectures and ensure technical maturity gates are met

• Interface with customers, partners, and suppliers to align system requirements and certifications

Required Qualifications:

• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field

• Typically requires a minimum of 7 years of relevant Aerospace/defense experience, with at least 5 years in mission systems integration.

• Demonstrated experience with aircraft payloads, avionics, and/or weapons integration

• Demonstrated experience with line-of-sight and beyond line-of-sight aircraft communications systems and components

• Working knowledge of Government modular open system approach (MOSA) standards to include open mission systems (OMS), Government Reference Architectures (GRA) or modular avionics standards

• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and deliver complex systems to fielded capability

• Strong knowledge of systems engineering processes and product development lifecycle

• Familiarity with DO-178C/DO-254 certification requirements for software and hardware

• Excellent communication skills and ability to brief technical findings to executives and customers

• Active Secret clearance and the ability to obtain a Top-Secret clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s or PhD in Aerospace, Systems, or Electrical Engineering

• Hands-on experience with flight test operations and mission system validation

• Direct experience integrating advanced sensors, autonomy, AI-enabled payloads, or guided weapons

• Background in model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and SysML tools

• Strong knowledge of current aircraft mission systems vendors and capabilities

• Active DoD Top Secret clearance

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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.