Lead UAS Systems Engineer — Autonomy & Defense Tech

Socket.dev; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Bonus

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to design, develop, and integrate autonomous aircraft systems for national defense. You will lead architecture, integration of avionics and sensors, and MBSE-driven trade studies.

The role interfaces with DoD stakeholders and requires strong leadership, safety knowledge, and advanced modeling skills. The position emphasizes MBSE tooling (SysML/DOORS/CAMEO), DoD MIL-STDs familiarity, flight testing, and rapid development in a fast-paced defense

Qualifications

• 5+ years of systems engineering experience in 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 system modeling tools for complex systems design and analysis.
• 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

• Perform System Architecture & Design: Develop and refine the system architecture for the next gen UAS, ensuring seamless integration of avionics, autonomy, propulsion, sensor payloads, and mission systems.
• Define and document 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

Aerospace systems engineering

Autonomy-driven flight systems

Leadership of cross-functional teams

DoD acquisition processes knowledge

MIL-STDs FAA airworthiness knowledge

MBSE concepts & requirements

Tools

SysML

DOORS

CAMEO

MBSE tools

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to design, develop, and integrate autonomous aircraft systems for national defense. You will lead architecture, integration of avionics and sensors, and MBSE-driven trade studies.

The role interfaces with DoD stakeholders and requires strong leadership, safety knowledge, and advanced modeling skills. The position emphasizes MBSE tooling (SysML/DOORS/CAMEO), DoD MIL-STDs familiarity, flight testing, and rapid development in a fast-paced defense