Flight Test Director, UAS Autonomy

Shield; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 210,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Staff Flight Test Engineer / Test Director to lead end-to-end integration, verification, and flight testing of Hivemind Mission Autonomy on UAS. You will own test readiness, direct campaigns, and ensure data-driven decisions across simulation, lab, and flight environments.

You will coordinate across engineering, safety, and program management, establish test strategies, risk mitigations, and reporting to leadership and customers, while maintaining safety and

Qualifications

• B.S. degree in a STEM discipline (Aerospace, Software, or related)
• 7+ years in system integration and test including SIL/HIL/simulation/flight test
• Experience leading test execution with authority over conduct, readiness, and risk decisions
• Cross-functional collaboration with systems engineering, software, hardware, safety, and program management
• Highly organized with ability to manage complex, fast-paced campaigns
• Strong written and verbal communication, briefing leadership and customers
• Integrity and accountability, fostering a collaborative environment

Responsibilities

• Act as Test Director for system-level integration and flight test campaigns of Hivemind Mission Autonomy on UAS and external platforms
• Own test readiness decisions, including entry/exit criteria for lab, simulation, ground, and flight test phases
• Plan, direct, and execute fly–fix–fly test campaigns, ensuring rapid iteration with disciplined configuration control and safety
• Define and enforce test strategy, including system-level verification and validation, test phasing, and prioritization of objectives
• Direct cross-functional test execution, coordinating across engineering disciplines and test operators
• Determine test infrastructure requirements, including SIL, HIL, simulation environments, flight test assets, and automated test pipelines
• Approve and oversee test procedures, test cards, and execution plans, serving as final authority during test conduct
• Define performance metrics and success criteria, ensuring test data is actionable and traceable to requirements
• Lead flight test risk assessments, hazard analyses, and mitigation planning; enforce safety-of-flight discipline
• Serve as primary test interface to internal leadership, customers, and external stakeholders, providing clear reporting on progress and risks
• Establish test standards, SOPs, and best practices aligned with DoD DT&E/OT&E expectations
• Document test results, anomalies, corrective actions, and lessons learned, driving continuous improvement across autonomy flight test
• Support travel to test sites, customer events, and integration activities as required
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills

Test leadership

System integration

Cross-functional collaboration

Strong communication

Attention to detail

Education

B.S. in STEM

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Staff Flight Test Engineer / Test Director to lead end-to-end integration, verification, and flight testing of Hivemind Mission Autonomy on UAS. You will own test readiness, direct campaigns, and ensure data-driven decisions across simulation, lab, and flight environments.

You will coordinate across engineering, safety, and program management, establish test strategies, risk mitigations, and reporting to leadership and customers, while maintaining safety and