Head of Mission Systems - Autonomous Aircraft

InvestedintheMission; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 225,000 - 340,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a mission-driven engineering leader to head a multidisciplinary organization focused on autonomous aircraft capabilities. You will define strategy, prioritize investments, and drive architecture across sensors, avionics, autonomy, and survivability.

Executive-level communication with DoD stakeholders, managing risk, and delivering field-ready solutions through all lifecycle stages are required; U.S. citizenship and clearances are expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or another technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience supporting complex military aircraft, autonomous systems, or defense programs.
• Experience leading a multidisciplinary engineering organization with people managers and senior leaders.
• Broad knowledge across multiple disciplines including mission systems, modeling/simulation, survivability, avionics, sensors, or weapons integration.
• Experience establishing organizational and technical strategies while managing risk.
• Proven ability to balance mission performance with cost, schedule and maturity.
• Experience overseeing aircraft capabilities from requirements to sustainment.
• Executive communication skills with customers, operators, leaders, and government stakeholders. U.S. citizenship with active security clearances.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary organization spanning analysis, survivability, communications, and mission systems.
• Define strategy, roadmaps, and investment priorities aligned with aircraft objectives and customer needs.
• Oversee architecture development for integrated mission systems including sensors, avionics, payloads, and autonomy.
• Direct modeling, simulation, wargaming, and system-of-systems analysis to evaluate mission effectiveness and threats.
• Lead cross-functional trade studies balancing capability, risk, cost, and schedule.
• Ensure disciplined execution from requirements to fielding, including testing and certification.
• Partner with engineering, product, program management, and leadership to deliver capabilities.
• Engage DoD customers and stakeholders to shape requirements and communicate operational value.
• Recruit and develop leaders while building organizational depth and succession.
• Ensure compliance with system-safety, airworthiness, cybersecurity, and certification requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Engineering leadership

Modeling & simulation

Mission systems

Systems engineering

DoD experience

Security clearance

Executive communication

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related

Master's degree or PhD

Tools

SysML

MBSE

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a mission-driven engineering leader to head a multidisciplinary organization focused on autonomous aircraft capabilities. You will define strategy, prioritize investments, and drive architecture across sensors, avionics, autonomy, and survivability.

Executive-level communication with DoD stakeholders, managing risk, and delivering field-ready solutions through all lifecycle stages are required; U.S. citizenship and clearances are expected.