Air Vehicle Lead: Autonomous Aircraft Systems

Shield; California; Presencial; USD 212.000 - 318.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Shield AI in California seeks an Air Vehicle Lead to guide a next‑generation autonomous aircraft program. You’ll own the vehicle architecture, drive cross‑discipline technical decisions, and ensure design integrity from concept through flight test.

This hands‑on leadership role requires deep expertise across aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, avionics, and manufacturing. You will mentor engineers, manage risk, and push for robust, producible, and mission‑ready solutions.

Formación

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering, Master’s preferred.
• 15+ years in aircraft development with technical leadership.
• Experience taking an air vehicle through design to production.
• Ability to trade across aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, controls, avionics.
• Hands-on leader able to dive into engineering problems while maintaining system view.
• Proven record of making high-value technical decisions under uncertainty.
• Ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance.

Responsabilidades

• Own the Air Vehicle architecture, performance, integration, and design integrity throughout development.
• Provide direction across aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, avionics, controls, and manufacturing.
• Lead trades on performance, weight, range, cost, reliability, and schedule.
• Drive design execution from requirements to hardware release and flight test.
• Stay hands-on in reviews, problem solving, testing, and critical design decisions.
• Identify and close technical risks with appropriate engineering rigor.
• Enable rapid development with prototypes, ground and flight testing, and data.
• Ensure interfaces are understood and interfaces with production are producible and robust.
• Collaborate with manufacturing and suppliers to transition to production.
• Set ownership culture, mentor engineers, and raise program capability.

Conocimientos

Leadership

Hands-on engineering

System-level thinking

Risk management

Cross-disciplinary coordination

Educación

Bachelors in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Herramientas

Aircraft development

Production readiness

Descripción del empleo

Shield AI in California seeks an Air Vehicle Lead to guide a next‑generation autonomous aircraft program. You’ll own the vehicle architecture, drive cross‑discipline technical decisions, and ensure design integrity from concept through flight test.

This hands‑on leadership role requires deep expertise across aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, avionics, and manufacturing. You will mentor engineers, manage risk, and push for robust, producible, and mission‑ready solutions.