Director, Autonomous Flight Mission Systems

Shield AI; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 225,000 - 340,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Director of Mission Systems to lead multidisciplinary teams delivering advanced autonomous aircraft capabilities. This leader aligns technical and business strategy, guiding investments and priorities from concept to fielding, with a focus on mission effectiveness and survivability.

The role requires executive communication, experience across aircraft capabilities, and the ability to work with DoD customers and government stakeholders to shape requirements and demonstrate

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or other relevant technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience supporting complex military aircraft, autonomous systems, or aerospace/defense programs.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering organization with people managers and senior technical leaders.
• Broad knowledge across mission systems, analysis, survivability, secure communications, avionics, sensors, payloads, or weapons integration.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary organization spanning communications and integrated mission systems.
• Define technical strategy, roadmaps, and priorities aligned with aircraft program objectives and customer requirements.
• Oversee system architectures for sensors, payloads, avionics, weapons, and autonomy.
• Direct modeling, simulation, and system-of-systems analysis for mission effectiveness and design options.
• Ensure disciplined execution from requirements and architecture to testing, certification, and fielding.

Skills

Leadership

Systems engineering

Program management

Customer engagement

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

SysML

Model-based Systems Engineering

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a Director of Mission Systems to lead multidisciplinary teams delivering advanced autonomous aircraft capabilities. This leader aligns technical and business strategy, guiding investments and priorities from concept to fielding, with a focus on mission effectiveness and survivability.

The role requires executive communication, experience across aircraft capabilities, and the ability to work with DoD customers and government stakeholders to shape requirements and demonstrate