Staff Engineer, Power System Battery Pack Designer (R4479)

Shield AI; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Equity

Job summary

Shield AI in San Diego is seeking a Battery owner to oversee battery systems for the X‑BAT. Responsibilities include defining battery vision, designing high-voltage systems, and building a leading power electronics lab.

The ideal candidate has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, 5+ years of experience, and robust battery design expertise. This role offers a competitive salary, benefits, and the opportunity to work in a fast-paced, innovative environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years relevant experience in battery design.
• Proficient in delivering battery power systems to market.
• Strong technical fundamentals and analysis skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the vision of the battery system for X‑BAT.
• Design, develop, and integrate high‑power systems.
• Debug complex problems related to electrical design.

Skills

Battery design experience on large aircraft

Electrical engineering development tools

Simulation and test equipment proficiency

Strong technical fundamentals

Education

B.S. in Electrical Engineering or equivalent

Job description

Founded in 2015, 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 and V‑BAT and X‑BAT aircraft. 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.

Job Description

As the Battery owner, you will be responsible for all aspects of battery systems for X‑BAT, the Launch and Recovery Vehicle, and ground equipment. This includes the architecture, design, qualification, integration, and deployment to production. You will help us build a world‑class team of engineers to support all design needs. A vertically integrated battery pack design will enable top performance, ease of integration, reliability, and rapid supply chain procurement. If you enjoy working cross‑functionally and solving hard problems, please apply.

What you’ll do

• Define and execute the vision of the battery system for X‑BAT, the Launch and Recovery Vehicle, and all ground equipment.
• Deploy high voltage batteries (270 V and higher) to support a power system on the order of 100 kW.
• Design, develop, and integrate state‑of‑the‑art high‑power systems tailored for optimal performance and reliability in harsh environments (high altitude, radiation, etc.).
• Execute make/buy trades that align with a long‑term development roadmap.
• Help hire and build the Power System team.
• Build a world‑class power electronics lab that serves all battery needs.
• Ensure system performance and reliability are met through rigorous verification.
• Debug complex problems related to the electrical design, environmental, manufacturing, etc.
• Provide mentorship, design review, and program execution leadership.
• Work in a fast‑paced environment.

Required qualifications

• You have a B.S. in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• Battery design experience on large aircraft, or an equivalent power system (rocket, satellite, submarine, etc.).
• 5+ years relevant experience.
• Have delivered battery power systems to market.
• Proficient with electrical engineering development tools, simulation, and test equipment.
• Strong technical fundamentals and analysis.

Salary: $150,000 – $220,000 a year.

Full‑time regular employee offer: pay within range listed + bonus + benefits + equity.

Temporary employee offer: 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.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal 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.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.