Lead UAS Systems Engineer - Autonomy & Avionics

Shield AI; Northern, San Diego (KY, CA); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead the design, development, and integration of next-gen autonomous aircraft systems for national defense. You will own system architecture and ensure avionics, autonomy, propulsion, sensors, and mission systems work together.

You will work with hardware, software, autonomy, flight operations, and manufacturing to deliver a scalable, mission-ready platform.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in systems engineering for aerospace, defense, or autonomous aircraft.
• Experience defining system behavior logic and operational modes.
• Deep expertise in system architecture, avionics integration, and autonomy-driven flight systems.
• Proficiency in MBSE, DOORS, SysML, CAMEO or similar modeling tools.
• Experience with Group 4 or Group 5 UAS, military aircraft, or autonomous airborne platforms.
• Strong background in flight testing, system integration, and performance validation.
• Knowledge of DoD acquisition processes, MIL‑STDs, FAA airworthiness certification, and airborne system safety standards.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive complex projects to successful completion.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile development environment with shifting priorities.
• Worked on developmental program from clean sheet to first flight
• Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Responsibilities

• Design and refine the system architecture for the next gen UAS, ensuring seamless integration of avionics, autonomy, propulsion, sensor payloads, and mission systems.
• Define system-level behavior, including modes, states, transitions, and fault responses
• Support safety analyses (FHA, FMEA, FTA) by defining behavior under fault conditions
• Define and Manage System Requirements: Establish top-level requirements, decompose them into subsystems, and maintain traceability across the development lifecycle.
• Autonomy & AI Integration: Work closely with autonomy and software teams to integrate AI-driven flight control, decision-making, and mission execution capabilities.
• Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE): Utilize SysML, DOORS, or other MBSE tools to create digital system models, conduct trade studies, and optimize system performance.
• Risk Management & Trade Studies: Conduct trade studies to evaluate design alternatives, assess technical risks, and ensure the best engineering solutions for mission effectiveness.
• Stakeholder & Customer Engagement: Work closely with DoD stakeholders, industry partners, and government agencies to align system capabilities with operational requirements.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Partner with hardware, autonomy, software, propulsion, and flight operations teams to drive seamless system integration and rapid development cycles.

Skills

Systems engineering

Flight testing

Leadership

Agile development

DoD processes knowledge

Tools

SysML

DOORS

CAMEO

MBSE tools

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead the design, development, and integration of next-gen autonomous aircraft systems for national defense. You will own system architecture and ensure avionics, autonomy, propulsion, sensors, and mission systems work together.

You will work with hardware, software, autonomy, flight operations, and manufacturing to deliver a scalable, mission-ready platform.