Staff Systems Engineer (R5982) 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: As a Staff Systems Engineer on Shield AI’s next gen UAS program, you will play a pivotal role in designing, developing, and integrating cutting-edge autonomous aircraft systems for national defense. You will lead the technical execution of system architecture, ensuring seamless integration of avionics, autonomy, propulsion, sensor payloads, and mission-critical systems. This position requires a deep understanding of aerospace systems engineering, autonomy, and complex system integration. You will work cross-functionally with teams in hardware, software, autonomy, flight operations, and manufacturing to develop a scalable, mission-ready platform capable of operating in contested environments. Your expertise will be critical in defining system requirements and architectures through model-based systems engineering, conducting trade studies, ensuring compliance with military and aviation standards, and supporting the aircraft through flight testing and operational deployment. What You'll Do: • Perform System Architecture & Design: Develop and refine the system architecture for the next gen UAS, ensuring seamless integration of avionics, autonomy, propulsion, sensor payloads, and mission systems. • Define and document system-level behavior, including modes, states, transitions, and fault responses • Support safety analyses (FHA, FMEA, FTA) by defining behavior under fault conditions • Define and Manage System Requirements: Establish top-level requirements, decompose them into subsystems, and maintain traceability across the development lifecycle. • Autonomy & AI Integration: Work closely with autonomy and software teams to integrate AI-driven flight control, decision-making, and mission execution capabilities. • Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE): Utilize SysML, DOORS, or other MBSE tools to create digital system models, conduct trade studies, and optimize system performance. • Risk Management & Trade Studies: Conduct trade studies to evaluate design alternatives, assess technical risks, and ensure the best engineering solutions for mission effectiveness. • Stakeholder & Customer Engagement: Work closely with DoD stakeholders, industry partners, and government agencies to align system capabilities with operational requirements. • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with hardware, autonomy, software, propulsion, and flight operations teams to drive seamless system integration and rapid development cycles. Required Qualifications: • 8+ years of experience in systems engineering for aerospace, defense, or autonomous aircraft systems. • Demonstrated experience defining system behavior logic and operational modes • Deep expertise in system architecture, avionics integration, and autonomy-driven flight systems. • Proficiency in MBSE, DOORS, SysML, CAMEO, or similar system modeling tools for complex systems design and analysis. • Experience with Group 4 or Group 5 UAS, military aircraft, or autonomous airborne platforms. • Strong background in flight testing, system integration, and performance validation. • Knowledge of DoD acquisition processes, MIL-STDs, FAA airworthiness certification, and airborne system safety standards. • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive complex projects to successful completion. • Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile development environment with shifting priorities. • Worked on developmental program from clean sheet to first flight • Ability to