Director, Mission Systems for Autonomous Aircraft

Shield AI; Washington; On-site; USD 225,000 - 340,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Director of Mission Systems to lead a multidisciplinary team spanning operational analysis, survivability, communications, and integrated mission systems for next‑gen autonomous aircraft.

The role establishes the org's technical and business strategy, aligning investments with product objectives and overseeing execution from concept through flight test and fielding. Requires DoD program leadership and Top Secret eligibility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or another relevant technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience supporting complex military aircraft, autonomous systems, or aerospace and defense programs.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing a multidisciplinary engineering organization that includes people managers and senior technical leaders.
• Broad working knowledge across mission systems, operational analysis, modeling & simulation, survivability, secure communications, avionics, sensors, payloads, or weapons integration.
• Experience establishing organizational and technical strategies while managing technical, programmatic, and organizational risk.
• Proven ability to balance mission performance and engineering requirements with cost, schedule, product maturity, and business priorities.
• Experience overseeing complex aircraft capabilities across product lifecycle—from requirements and architecture through integration, test, certification, fielding, and sustainment.
• Executive-level communication skills with success influencing customers, operators, business leaders, engineering teams, and government stakeholders. U.S. citizenship with an active Secret clearance and ability to obtain Top Secret clearance and required SAP/SAR accesses.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary organization spanning operational analysis, survivability, communications, and integrated mission systems.
• Define technical strategy, capability roadmaps, and investment priorities aligned with program objectives and customer requirements.
• Oversee development of integrated mission-system architectures including sensors, payloads, avionics, weapons, secure communications, autonomy, and survivability.
• Direct modeling, simulation, wargaming, and system-of-systems analysis to evaluate mission effectiveness and design options.
• Lead cross-functional trade studies balancing mission capability, risk, cost, schedule, manufacturability, and maturity.
• Ensure disciplined execution from requirements through hardware-in-the-loop testing, certification, and fielding.
• Partner with engineering, product, program mgmt, business development, and aircraft leadership to deliver mission-relevant capabilities.
• Engage DoD customers, operators, suppliers, and government stakeholders to shape requirements and communicate operational value.
• Recruit, coach, and develop people managers and senior technical leaders; build depth and succession.
• Ensure compliance with system-safety, airworthiness, cybersecurity, security, and certification requirements.

Skills

Multidisciplinary leadership

Executive communication

Systems engineering

DoD program management

Acquisition risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Master’s degree or PhD (preferred)

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a Director of Mission Systems to lead a multidisciplinary team spanning operational analysis, survivability, communications, and integrated mission systems for next‑gen autonomous aircraft.

The role establishes the org's technical and business strategy, aligning investments with product objectives and overseeing execution from concept through flight test and fielding. Requires DoD program leadership and Top Secret eligibility.