Senior Staff Engineer, Supply Chain (R6485)

Shield AI; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 177,000 - 266,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a seasoned Supplier Development Engineer focused on machined parts to strengthen our aerospace supply chain and ensure on-time delivery with top quality. You will audit suppliers, drive process improvements, and collaborate with engineering to align part specifications, tooling, and cost targets.

The role involves extensive travel (up to 75%, including international) to develop the supplier base in Europe, onboard new designs, and support NPI efforts while delivering

Qualifications

• 10+ years in supply chain, manufacturing, process & mechanical engineering.
• CAD proficiency with SolidWorks, NX, CATIA, etc.
• Excel and data analysis capabilities.
• Experience with PLM or ERP systems.
• Extensive travel up to 75%, including international.
• Ability to read drawings and GD&T confidently.
• Knowledge of machining/welding/forming processes.
• Led root cause investigations (8D, 5 Whys).
• Experience working with suppliers or production lines.

Responsibilities

• Audit and embed supplier processes to improve cost, lead-times, and quality.
• Conduct on-site audits to root cause supplier quality issues.
• Assess and improve supplier capabilities aligning with engineering priorities.
• Provide technical guidance on part specs, processes, and quality metrics.
• Monitor supplier performance metrics and drive corrective actions.
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks to ensure production continuity.
• Support New Product Introduction by ensuring supplier readiness.

Skills

Root cause analysis

GD&T reading

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Tools

CAD (SolidWorks)

CAD (NX)

CAD (CATIA)

Excel

PLM/ERP systems

Job description

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BATaircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description:

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Supplier Development Engineer to join Shield AI, focusing on machined parts. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in supplier development, quality engineering, production process improvement, and supply chain management within the aerospace industry. This role is critical in enhancing supplier performance by solving supplier challenges that impact quality/on-time delivery/scaling, supporting the onboarding of suppliers to new designs, and delivering on our mission to deliver affordable and autonomous mass at scale. This role has extensive travel to Europe to develop and create the supply base in the region.

What you'll do:

• Process Improvement: Audit and embed into core supplier processes to understand improvement opportunities to cost, lead-times, and quality
• Quality Assurance: Conduct on-site audits to root cause supplier quality issues or performance challenges
• Supplier Development: Assess and improve supplier capabilities, ensuring alignment with engineering and operational priorities.
• Engineering Technical Support: Provide technical guidance to suppliers on part specifications, manufacturing processes and standards, and quality measures
• Supplier Performance Monitoring: Track and analyze supplier performance metrics, including delivery, quality, and cost. Implement corrective actions and continuous improvement plans as necessary.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate risks within the supply chain to ensure uninterrupted production and delivery of components
• New Product Introduction (NPI): Support the introduction of new products by ensuring suppliers meet all quality and delivery requirements during the development phase

Required qualifications:

• 10 plus years of supply chain, manufacturing, process & mechanical engineering
• CAD (SolidWorks, NX, CATIA, etc.)
• Excel / data analysis
• PLM or ERP systems
• Travel up to 75% including international
• Can read drawings + GD&T confidently
• Understand machining/welding/forming processes
• Led root cause investigations (8D, 5 Whys)
• Worked with suppliers or production lines

$177,000 - $266,000 a year

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Full-time regular employee offer package:

• Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:

• Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed toequal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.