Senior Operational Analysis Engineer — Autonomous Aircraft

Shieldai; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Staff Engineer, Operational Analyst to drive modeling, simulation, and analysis of its autonomous aircraft systems. This role evaluates mission effectiveness, survivability, and operational impact across multiple platforms and domains.

You will work with engineering, product development, and defense stakeholders to inform design trade-offs, assess system performance, and optimize mission capabilities.

Qualifications

• 7+ 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 AFSIM, STK, MATLAB, or other M&S tools used for aerospace and defense applications.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute operational analysis strategies to assess the effectiveness of autonomous aircraft in real-world military scenarios.
• Lead modeling, simulation, and wargaming efforts to evaluate system performance, mission impact, and survivability in contested environments.
• Work closely with engineering teams and product managers to translate operational insights into design decisions and system improvements.

Skills

Operational analysis

Modeling & simulation

Military operations research

Communication skills

AI-driven decision making

Education

Clearance eligibility

Tools

AFSIM

STK

MATLAB

Git

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a Staff Engineer, Operational Analyst to drive modeling, simulation, and analysis of its autonomous aircraft systems. This role evaluates mission effectiveness, survivability, and operational impact across multiple platforms and domains.

You will work with engineering, product development, and defense stakeholders to inform design trade-offs, assess system performance, and optimize mission capabilities.