Senior Engineer, Operational Analysis for Autonomous Systems

Shield AI; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 128,000 - 192,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Equity

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Engineer, Operational Analyst to drive modeling, simulation, and analysis of autonomous aircraft systems. You will evaluate mission effectiveness, survivability, and operational impact across platforms, collaborating with engineering, product, and defense stakeholders.

You will apply wargaming methodologies and advanced M&S tools to inform design trade-offs, optimize performance, and support CONOPS for AI-driven capabilities.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in operational analysis, modeling & simulation (M&S), or military operations research.
• Expertise in military mission analysis, operational planning, and wargaming methodologies.
• Proficiency with M&S tools used for aerospace and defense applications (AFSIM, STK, MATLAB).
• Deep understanding of air combat, ISR, EW, or autonomous systems in contested environments.
• Experience working with DoD stakeholders, warfighters, and government agencies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute operational analysis strategies to assess autonomous aircraft effectiveness in real-world scenarios.
• Lead modeling, simulation, and wargaming to evaluate system performance and survivability.
• Collaborate with engineering and product managers to translate insights into design improvements.
• Conduct trade studies and sensitivity analyses across varying operational conditions.
• Develop high-fidelity mission models using M&S tools (AFSIM, STK, MATLAB, Python).
• Analyze sensor effectiveness and autonomy-driven decision-making to optimize missions.
• Engage with DoD stakeholders and warfighters to align capabilities with needs.
• Support CONOPS development for new AI-driven aircraft capabilities.
• Prepare technical reports and briefings for senior leadership and customers.

Skills

Operational analysis

Modeling & simulation

Wargaming

DoD engagement

Autonomous systems

Tools

AFSIM

STK

MATLAB

Python

Git-based version control

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Engineer, Operational Analyst to drive modeling, simulation, and analysis of autonomous aircraft systems. You will evaluate mission effectiveness, survivability, and operational impact across platforms, collaborating with engineering, product, and defense stakeholders.

You will apply wargaming methodologies and advanced M&S tools to inform design trade-offs, optimize performance, and support CONOPS for AI-driven capabilities.