Staff Engineer, Electrical Failure Analysis (R5616)

Shield AI; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Equity

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a failure analysis engineer to join our team, focusing on the design, integration and troubleshooting of electronics systems critical to our aircraft. This role is ideal for an engineer with a solid foundation in power and embedded systems who is eager to own challenging projects from concept to flight.

If you thrive in fast-paced environments, enjoy solving complex problems, and want to help build the future of autonomous aviation, we want to hear from you.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering; or equivalent work experience.
• 8+ years of experience in failure analysis, reliability, or hardware debug for aerospace, defense, or high-reliability electronics
• Strong technical fundamentals
• Experienced with cross-sectioning, microscopy, X-ray, and other FA techniques
• Strong hands-on experience with PCBA failure mechanisms (solder joints, vias, components, PCB materials)
• Harnesses, connectors, crimping, shielding, and interconnect reliability
• Demonstrated ownership and delivering high-quality results in fast-paced environments
• Proactively identify opportunities for improvement and implement innovative solutions

Responsibilities

• Lead failure analysis investigations for avionics hardware, including PCBA, harnesses, connectors
• Perform root-cause analysis using structured methodologies (8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, Fault Tree)
• Conduct electrical, mechanical, and environmental failure analysis
• Collaborate with design engineers to identify design vulnerabilities and supplier-related issues
• Work with cross-functional teams to drive corrective actions to closure
• Author data-driven failure analysis reports and present findings to leadership
• Mentor junior engineers and establish best practices for failure analysis and reliability

Skills

8+ years failure analysis experience

Strong technical fundamentals

Cross-sectioning / microscopy / X-ray

Drive investigations

Ownership / initiative

Team collaboration

Hardware debugging in aerospace/def

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

Tools

X-ray inspection equipment

Microscopy

PCB analysis tooling

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:

Shield AI is pioneering AI pilots for aircraft that protect service members and civilians—pushing the boundaries of autonomous flight. V-BAT is designed for deployment in the most demanding, high-stakes environments.

We are looking for a failure analysis engineer to join our team, focused on the design, integration and troubleshooting of electronics systems critical to our aircraft. This role is perfect for an engineer with a solid foundation in power systems, embedded systems who is eager to grow, own challenging projects, and see their work move rapidly from concept to flight. If you thrive in fast-paced environments, enjoy solving complex problems, and want to help build the future of autonomous aviation, we want to hear from you.

What you'll do:

• Lead failure analysis investigations for avionics hardware, including: PCBAs (digital, analog, power, mixed-signal), harnesses, connectors, and interconnects
• Perform root cause analysis (RCA) using structured methodologies (8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, Fault Tree, etc.)
• Conduct and/or oversee electrical, mechanical, and environmental failure analysis
• Collaborate with design engineers to identify design vulnerabilities, manufacturing and suppliers on process-related issues
• Work closely with cross-functional teams (reliability, mechanical, embedded, software, production, supply chain, etc.)
• Drive design, process, and supplier corrective actions to closure
• Author clear, data-driven failure analysis reports and present findings to technical and program leadership
• Mentor junior engineers and help establish best practices for failure analysis and reliability

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering; or equivalent work experience
• You have 8+ years of experience in failure analysis, reliability, or hardware debug for aerospace, defense, or high-reliability electronics
• Strong technical fundamentals
• Experienced with cross-sectioning, microscopy, X-ray, and other FA techniques
• Strong hands-on experience with PCBA failure mechanisms (solder joints, vias, components, PCB materials), Harnesses, connectors, crimping, shielding, and interconnect reliability
• Demonstrated track record of extreme ownership, working hard, and delivering outstanding outcomes
• A track record of successfully delivery of products and solutions, overcome obstacles, and deliver high-quality solutions to meet project deadlines and exceed expectations in a fast-paced environment
• Proactively identify opportunities for improvement within organization, demonstrating initiative to propose and implement
• innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, quality, and overall project success and aircraft reliability
• Ability to independently drive investigations from symptom to root cause

$150,000 - $230,000 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.

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.