Director, Export Policy (R5598)

Shield; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Director to shape the international release and deployment of advanced autonomy and AI-enabled aircraft. You will lead policy engagement with the U.S.

Government and allies on technology security, foreign disclosure, and security cooperation to advance national security objectives worldwide. You will collaborate with engineering, product, legal, and program teams to translate technical capabilities into policy strategies, build trusted interagency relationships, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years in national security policy, tech security, foreign disclosure, or related areas.
• Significant experience with the U.S. national security interagency.
• Strong understanding of DoD/state policy and international defense partnerships.
• Strategic communication skills for policy narratives and briefings.
• Ability to translate complex defense technologies into policy considerations.

Responsibilities

• Shape strategy for international release of advanced autonomy and aircraft.
• Lead policy engagement with U.S. Government and allies on security issues.
• Translate technical capabilities into technology-security plans for partners.
• Build trusted relationships across DoD, State, NSC, and military commands.
• Represent Shield AI in policy discussions on autonomous systems and AI tech.
• Develop policy positions, white papers, and senior briefings.
• Anticipate policy issues and guide government approaches to international release.
• Align opportunities with U.S. defense priorities and partner requirements.

Skills

Interagency collaboration

Strategic communications

Policy development

Tech-to-policy translation

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Advanced degree in international affairs or national security

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-BATaircraft, 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:

Shape Shield AI’s strategy for the international release and deployment of advanced autonomy, aircraft, and AI-enabled technologies. The Director will lead policy engagement with the U.S. Government and allied partners on technology security, foreign disclosure, security cooperation, and security assistance—creating pathways for Shield AI capabilities to support U.S. and allied national security objectives worldwide.

What you'll do:

Technology Security & Foreign Disclosure Strategy

• Develop company strategy for technology security and foreign disclosure across Shield AI products, capabilities, countries, and international programs.
• Identify technology-release considerations early and develop pathways for the responsible international release of advanced autonomy, aircraft, and AI-enabled capabilities.
• Advise leadership and program teams on releasability, partner considerations, geopolitical risks, and U.S. Government policy affecting international opportunities.
• Partner with engineering and product teams to translate complex technical capabilities into clear technology-security and foreign-disclosure strategies.

Interagency Engagement & Policy Shaping

• Build trusted relationships across DoD, State, NSC staff, military departments, combatant commands, and other stakeholders involved in technology security, foreign disclosure, and international defense partnerships.
• Represent Shield AI in policy discussions concerning the international release of autonomous systems, AI-enabled capabilities, and next-generation aircraft.
• Develop persuasive policy positions, white papers, and senior-level briefings that demonstrate how Shield AI technologies advance U.S. national security, coalition, and partner objectives.
• Anticipate emerging policy issues surrounding autonomous and AI-enabled technologies and help shape government approaches to their international release.

Security Cooperation & International Strategy

• Help position Shield AI capabilities within U.S. security cooperation and security assistance frameworks.
• Advise international campaigns on interagency decision-making, partner requirements, regional considerations, and technology-release strategy.
• Align international opportunities with U.S. defense and foreign policy priorities and allied capability requirements.
• Coordinate across Policy, Business Development, Legal, Engineering, Product, and Programs to establish unified strategies for priority international opportunities.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years of experience in national security policy, technology security, foreign disclosure, security cooperation, security assistance, international defense policy, or related government engagement.
• Significant experience working in or with the U.S. national security interagency.
• Strong understanding of U.S. Government decision-making around international defense partnerships, technology release, security cooperation, and security assistance.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate complex interagency processes and build trusted relationships with senior government, military, technical, and operational stakeholders.
• Strong strategic communication skills, including development of persuasive policy narratives, senior-level briefings, and decision materials.
• Ability to understand sophisticated defense technologies and translate technical capabilities into policy and national security considerations.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience serving in a U.S. Government security cooperation, security assistance, technology security, foreign disclosure, or international defense role.
• Experience as a Foreign Area Officer (FAO), Security Cooperation Officer, Defense Attaché, Country Director, Foreign Disclosure Officer, or in a comparable regional or international security role.
• Experience working with DoD, State, DSCA, military departments, combatant commands, NSC staff, or U.S. embassies.
• Familiarity with Foreign Military Sales, security cooperation, technology security, and foreign disclosure processes.
• Experience influencing U.S. Government policy concerning the international release of advanced defense technologies.
• Experience working with allied and partner governments on defense capability development or technology release.
• Comfort working with engineers, operators, and product teams on advanced autonomy, AI, aircraft, and other emerging technologies.
• Advanced degree in international affairs, national security, public policy, law, or a related field.

$200,000 - $300,000 a year

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Full-time regular employee offer package:

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:

Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed toequal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.