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Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company developing autonomous systems, unmanned aircraft, and simulation technologies for military and civilian protection. This role supports the Material Review Board (MRB) function, evaluating nonconforming hardware and damaged components from fielded unmanned aircraft systems and related equipment.
As a Senior Engineer in this hands-on individual-contributor role, you will independently resolve routine and moderately complex hardware issues while contributing to more complex evaluations. You'll work across engineering, quality, configuration control, manufacturing, supply chain, fleet support, and sustainment teams to investigate hardware problems and develop technically sound dispositions.
Key responsibilities include:
- Evaluating nonconforming material, damaged hardware, returned components, production escapes, and field returns
- Developing and documenting dispositions (rework, repair, use-as-is, return-to-vendor, scrap) in accordance with approval authority
- Creating or updating repair instructions, inspection criteria, and supporting technical documentation
- Reviewing engineering drawings, specifications, inspection results, manufacturing records, repair history, and field evidence
- Coordinating with responsible engineers and cross-functional partners to ensure dispositions are safe, executable, and properly approved
- Supporting returned-material evaluations, production-quality deficiency reviews, and field-hardware investigations
- Maintaining complete, accurate, traceable, and configuration-controlled MRB records
- Identifying recurring nonconformances and manufacturing defects; elevating trends for investigation
- Providing technical input to root-cause and corrective-action activities
- Working with Manufacturing Engineering and Quality to improve repair instructions and acceptance criteria
- Supporting supplier-quality investigations for purchased parts affecting fleet readiness
- Contributing to standard repair development and continuous improvement of MRB workflows
- Balancing engineering rigor, safety, quality, configuration control, field urgency, and aircraft-readiness needs
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, electrical, manufacturing, materials, or related engineering discipline, or equivalent relevant technical experience
- 4+ years of relevant experience in Material Review Board, quality engineering, manufacturing engineering, sustaining engineering, aerospace structures, aviation maintenance engineering, hardware product support, or complex hardware sustainment
- Experience evaluating nonconforming hardware, damaged components, returned material, production escapes, field failures, or repairable assemblies
- Working knowledge of nonconforming-material processes, MRB workflows, repair or rework dispositions, inspection records, engineering documentation, and corrective-action systems
- Experience developing or supporting repair instructions, rework instructions, inspection criteria, use-as-is evaluations, or scrap/replacement recommendations
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, inspection results, manufacturing records, repair records, and field evidence
- Sound technical judgment and ability to recognize when an issue requires additional analysis or escalation
- Strong written communication and documentation skills; ability to clearly explain technical dispositions and supporting rationale
- Ability to work effectively across Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Fleet Support, Sustainment, and Operations
- Ability to manage multiple hardware issues and priorities in a fast-paced operating environment
Preferred qualifications include experience in aviation, defense, aerospace manufacturing, unmanned systems, aircraft sustainment, depot repair, or deployed hardware systems; experience with composite or metallic structures, bonded or fastened assemblies, avionics hardware, propulsion components, or complex electromechanical assemblies; familiarity with RCCA, FRACAS, PQDR, AS9100, configuration management, ECO/ECR processes, service bulletins, or maintenance releases; experience supporting supplier-quality investigations or production-escape resolution; familiarity with standard repair libraries or configuration-controlled repair documentation; experience supporting military, government, international, or deployed aviation customers; familiarity with ITAR or export-controlled technical data; and active Secret or Top Secret clearance.
