Manager, Field Integration & Test (R5104) at Shield AI

Job description

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: Shield AI is seeking a highly technical and operationally focused Field Integration & Test Manager to lead maritime and expeditionary integration activities supporting the V-BAT unmanned aircraft system. This role is responsible for managing a multidisciplinary field operations team and overseeing the successful planning, execution, and sustainment of shipboard and land-based integration efforts across customer platforms. The Field Integration & Test Manager serves as the technical authority for field integration operations, providing guidance, mentorship, and escalation support to deployed field teams responsible for RF systems, Network Communications architectures, shipboard installations, and operational system validation. This role is primarily focused on technical leadership, operational oversight, and cross-functional coordination rather than day-to-day field execution. However, the ideal candidate must remain capable of supporting on-site integration, troubleshooting, and customer operations as needed during critical deployments, testing events, or operational escalations. The ideal candidate combines strong leadership skills with deep experience in RF communications, maritime integration, spectrum management, and complex system deployment in operational environments. What you'll do: Team Leadership & Technical Oversight Lead and manage a field integration team consisting of Field Engineers, Air Vehicle Operators and Field Integration Specialists. Serve as the senior technical advisor and escalation point for field integration operations. Provide mentorship, technical guidance, and operational support to deployed field teams during installations, troubleshooting, and customer operations. Establish integration standards, troubleshooting methodologies, installation procedures, and field best practices. Coordinate staffing, deployment readiness, and operational support activities across multiple concurrent integration efforts. Drive operational excellence, safety, and technical quality across all field integration activities. Maritime Integration & Installation Oversight Oversee shipboard and land-based integration activities supporting V-BAT deployments on maritime and expeditionary platforms. Oversee planning and execution of: Site surveys Shipboard integration assessments Installation planning System commissioning and operational readiness activities Provide technical oversight for installation and calibration of various communication systems and associated networking infrastructure Review and validate integration plans, antenna layouts, RF configurations, and installation approaches to ensure operational effectiveness and platform compatibility. Ensure all installations comply with maritime safety standards, EMI/EMC requirements, and platform-specific operational constraints. RF Communications & Spectrum Management Serve as the subject matter expert for RF communications systems and maritime electromagnetic operating environments. Guide field teams in: Link Margin Analysis RF troubleshooting Link testing and optimization Interference mitigation Antenna placement and calibration Support system performance analysis and operational readiness validation in complex maritime RF environments. Coordinate with engineering teams to identify systemic RF or integration issues and drive corrective actions. Provide technical recommendations to improve communications reliability, integration efficiency,