Senior TPM - Autonomous UAS Systems

Shieldai

Dallas (TX)

On-site

USD 150,000 - 190,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Technical Program Manager to lead the integrated execution of complex autonomy-enabled UAS programs from requirements through deployment. You will blend systems-engineering rigor with program-management discipline and scaled-Agile leadership to align engineering teams, manage risks, and deliver verified capability to customers.

This role emphasizes system integration, verification and test, and cross-functional execution, with plans, visibility, and decision mechanisms to

Qualifications

8–12+ years of experience in systems engineering, project engineering, technical program management, aerospace, defense, robotics, autonomy, UAS, or a similarly complex technical environment.
Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional technical programs involving multiple engineering disciplines and delivering integrated products, capabilities, or customer solutions.
Strong systems-engineering experience, including requirements management, traceability, interface management, system integration, verification and validation, test planning/execution, and configuration or technical‑baseline management.
Proven program-management capability, including integrated planning and scheduling, scope management, resource coordination, risk and issue management, stakeholder communication, and execution reporting.
Experience coordinating multiple Agile teams or technical workstreams toward shared releases, demonstrations, system‑level milestones, or customer deliveries.
Strong written, verbal, and executive communication skills, with the ability to explain technical status, risks, and tradeoffs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.
Willingness to travel up to 25%.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end execution of complex UAS, autonomy, mission-system, or customer-delivery programs, achieving technical, schedule, cost, quality, and customer objectives.
Own integrated program plans, including scope, milestones, schedules, critical path, resource needs, dependencies, risks, issues, decisions, and change control.
Partner with technical leads to ensure requirements, interfaces, verification plans, test readiness, technical baselines, and customer acceptance criteria are clear, measurable, and traceable.
Lead cross-functional system integration and test execution across hardware, software, autonomy, systems engineering, test, manufacturing, flight operations, cybersecurity, and field/customer teams.
Drive timely resolution of technical, programmatic, and cross-team issues; facilitate trade studies, risk mitigations, recovery plans, and leadership decisions when needed.
Establish and lead an effective multi-team delivery cadence, including integrated planning, dependency reviews, program execution reviews, system demonstrations, release-readiness reviews, and continuous-improvement activities.
Coordinate delivery across multiple engineering teams, releases, and customer commitments; identify and remove systemic blockers that affect integrated capability delivery.
Communicate technical status, risks, tradeoffs, decisions, and delivery outlook clearly to engineering leadership, executives, customers, and external stakeholders.
Develop and use program metrics and dashboards to improve execution predictability, integration readiness, requirements-verification status, risk posture, and release performance.
Mentor project engineers and technical leads in integrated planning, systems-engineering execution, risk management, and cross-functional delivery practices.

Skills

Systems engineering

Program management

Agile leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or related STEM