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Shield AI, a venture-backed defense-tech company, is seeking a Staff Engineer for Flight Test to support its mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent autonomous systems. The company develops Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies, with operations globally.
In this role, you will develop and execute detailed integration and flight test plans across simulation, SIL (Software-in-the-Loop), HIL (Hardware-in-the-Loop), ground, and flight test environments. You will coordinate readiness of simulation environments, integration laboratories, aircraft, and flight test assets to support program objectives. Leveraging aviation knowledge and aircraft performance understanding, you will create safe, efficient, and operationally relevant test plans aligned with overall program verification strategies.
Key responsibilities include defining test objectives, performance metrics, and success criteria with full traceability from requirements to test outcomes. You will lead and support aircraft integration and flight test activities—including system configuration, software integration, mission planning, real-time troubleshooting, flight execution support, and post-flight data analysis. You will coordinate with platform OEMs, government ranges, and flight operations personnel to establish test readiness criteria and ensure technical and safety requirements are met before test execution.
You will work cross-functionally across software, hardware, systems engineering, flight operations, safety, and program leadership teams. You will evaluate test results, identify technical issues, and recommend corrective actions to improve system performance and accelerate capability maturation. This is a technical leadership role requiring excellent communication with pilots, operators, engineers, program leadership, and external customers.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 8+ years of experience with a Bachelor's degree, or 6+ years with a Master's degree
- Demonstrated experience planning, conducting, and evaluating flight test of aircraft systems in military or defense aviation environments
- Strong understanding of safety-of-flight principles, risk management, and disciplined test execution in aviation environments
- Demonstrated understanding of aircraft performance, flight operations, and environmental effects influencing aircraft mission planning, test execution, and safety
- Experience with system-level verification & validation across multiple test environments (SIL, HIL, simulation, and flight)
- Experience working cross-functionally across software, hardware, avionics, systems engineering, safety, and program teams
- Experience with scripting or software tools (Python preferred) for test automation, data analysis, or system validation
- Ability to effectively communicate with pilots, operators, and engineers to develop executable flight test objectives, mission plans, and risk mitigations
- Excellent technical leadership and communication skills, including briefing to program leadership and external customers
- Ability to obtain and maintain a SECRET clearance; U.S. citizenship required
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Military aviation experience as aircrew, flight test engineer, mission systems operator, or engineer supporting military aircraft development or test programs
- Prior role as Flight Test Director, Test Conductor, or Lead Flight Test Engineer on full-scale aircraft programs
- Understanding of military air operations, mission planning, and Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) supporting autonomous aircraft employment
- Experience supporting Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP), loyal wingman concepts, or multi-vehicle autonomous systems
- Familiarity with DoD acquisition and developmental test processes
- Experience operating in or supporting government flight test ranges and operational environments
- Background in autonomy, AI/ML-enabled systems, or human-machine teaming in aviation contexts
- Experience with airworthiness processes, flight clearance, and configuration control for aircraft systems
- Familiarity with tools such as Git, Jira/Azure DevOps, and CI/CD pipelines
- Active SECRET clearance
