Staff Technical Program Manager - Air Vehicle 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:

We are seeking an experienced Air Vehicle Systems Technical Program Manager to help drive execution across the air vehicle systems design team. This role lives within the engineering organization and partners closely with Responsible Engineers (REs) and technical leads across aircraft subsystems such as flight controls, avionics, electrical power, thermal and fluid systems, mechanical systems, structures, landing gear, and vehicle integration.

You will work alongside the air vehicle systems design team, manufacturing and test teams, and applicable suppliers to ensure technical work progresses in alignment with vehicle-level milestones, schedules, and program objectives. This role requires enough aircraft-systems depth to understand the underlying technical solutions, identify cross-system dependencies, and help teams make sound execution decisions, while also bringing the coordination, accountability, and follow-through needed to move the program forward.

The ideal candidate has an engineering background and thrives in a hands-on, hardware-centric development environment. They are comfortable working with technical detail, asking the right questions, removing obstacles, and translating complex system work into measurable progress toward aircraft integration and flight readiness.

What you'll do:

• Partner with air vehicle systems Responsible Engineers and technical leads to plan and execute development activities across aircraft subsystems, interfaces, integration, verification, and test.

• Build and maintain integrated air vehicle systems schedules, dependencies, and execution plans aligned with vehicle-level milestones and flight-readiness objectives.

• Coordinate with the teams responsible for flight controls, avionics, electrical power, thermal and fluid systems, mechanical systems, structures, landing gear, manufacturing, supply chain, and flight test.

• Understand the technical basis behind system designs, requirements, interfaces, and verification approaches; identify cross-system dependencies, surface risks, and drive mitigation plans.

• Partner with system REs to manage air vehicle systems suppliers and external development partners, including schedule tracking, technical coordination, interface closure, and delivery performance.

• Translate complex technical work into clear status, risks, decisions, actions, and execution plans, and facilitate technical reviews, integration checkpoints, and test-readiness discussions.

• Support aircraft build, ground test, flight test, and development campaigns by coordinating resources, schedules, technical deliverables, and issue resolution.

• Drive accountability and measurable outcomes while maintaining strong working relationships with Responsible Engineers and the broader engineering team.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.

• 7+ years of experience in technical program management, systems engineering, or engineering leadership in aerospace or complex hardware development environments.

• Experience coordinating cross-functional aircraft subsystem teams and a working technical understanding of requirements, interfaces, design maturation, verification, hardware testing, and system integration.

• Demonstrated ability to understand underlying technical solutions, connect system-level dependencies, and work effectively with Responsible Engineers and technical leads.

• Demonstrated ability to manage schedules, technical risks, decisions, dependencies, and program execution in fast-paced development environments.

• Experience working with suppliers and managing external development partners, technical deliverables, and delivery performance.

• Strong communication skills; ability to translate complex technical work into clear program-level execution plans, status, risks, and actions. Ability to work with export-controlled ITAR data is required; U.S. citizenship or other authorization sufficient for the applicable ITAR access is expected.

Preferred qualifications:

• Prior experience working across multiple aircraft subsystems, such as flight controls, avionics, electrical power, thermal and fluid systems, mechanical systems, structures, or landing gear, on UAV, tactical aircraft, or other complex aircraft development programs.

• Background supporting test-driven aerospace development programs, including hardware build, integration, ground test, and flight test.

• Familiarity with aircraft systems engineering practices, requirements and interface management, verification planning, and flight-readiness processes.

• Familiarity with program management tools such as JIRA, Smartsheet, or similar planning tools.

• Demonstrated ability to operate in high-ownership, hardware-centric engineering environments.

• Ability to obtain a Secret or higher security clearance is preferred; a clearance is not required for this role. An advanced degree in engineering or a related technical discipline is a plus.

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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.