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Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company developing autonomous systems for unmanned platforms. This Staff Field Solutions Engineer role is a customer-facing technical expert position supporting Hivemind, Shield AI's autonomy software for intelligent, mission-capable unmanned systems.
You will serve as the primary technical bridge between Shield AI's product teams and defense/security customers, translating mission requirements into credible Hivemind solution concepts. Your responsibilities include:
• Lead customer discovery, technical briefings, demonstrations, and technical interchange meetings
• Support RFI/RFP responses, proposals, white papers, and customer-specific solution development
• Explain Hivemind autonomy capabilities, limitations, roadmap, and integration requirements to technical, operational, commercial, and leadership audiences
• Develop and maintain technical sales assets: capability briefs, demo scripts, solution templates, FAQs, and technical white papers
• Partner with Product, Engineering, Customer Engagement, and Program teams to represent customer requirements, technical risks, and field feedback
• Help customers evaluate how autonomy supports operational effectiveness, mission planning, and force modernization
• Maintain product truth by ensuring customer-facing materials accurately reflect current capabilities and constraints
• Monitor developments in autonomy, AI, unmanned systems, and defense technology to inform customer conversations
• Build trusted relationships with customer technical stakeholders and internal cross-functional partners
• Operate independently across complex customer engagements while keeping stakeholders aligned
• Travel for customer engagements, demonstrations, exercises, and internal meetings
This is a high-visibility role requiring deep technical credibility, strong communication across diverse audiences, and the ability to translate complex autonomy concepts into actionable customer solutions.
REQUIREMENTS:
• 7+ years in solutions engineering, field applications engineering, systems engineering, technical sales, autonomy, robotics, defense software, aerospace, or related technical customer-facing roles
• Strong technical understanding of autonomy, AI-enabled systems, mission software, unmanned systems, robotics, or complex defense technology systems
• Experience supporting customer-facing technical engagements (demos, technical briefings, proposal support, integration discussions, technical interchange meetings, operational workshops)
• Ability to translate customer mission needs into technically feasible solution concepts, requirements, demos, and product feedback
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
• Ability to work cross-functionally with Business Development, Product Management, Engineering, Customer Engagement, and Program teams
• Strong judgment in representing product capabilities, limitations, and roadmap dependencies to customers
• Demonstrated ability to build trust with customers and internal stakeholders through technical credibility, responsiveness, and clear communication
• Ability to manage ambiguity, prioritize competing demands, and execute independently in a fast-paced environment
• Willingness and ability to travel for customer engagements, demonstrations, exercises, and internal meetings
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Prior military, defense, aerospace, robotics, unmanned systems, or advanced technology domain experience
• Direct experience with U.S. Navy or U.S. Air Force customers, programs, or operational units; familiarity with relevant mission sets, platforms, and acquisition processes
• Experience with autonomous systems (air, ground, or maritime) and familiarity with autonomy workflows, mission planning, system integration, and operational evaluation
• Hands-on experience with Python, C++, Linux, APIs, SDKs, autonomy software, robotics middleware, or technical prototyping
• Demonstrated ability to create clear, reusable technical content for Business Development, customers, and internal stakeholders
