Staff Engineer, Quality Assurance (R5358)

Shield AI; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Equity

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Quality Engineer to support development, inspection, execution, and continuous improvement of the X-BAT program. The role ensures hardware, assemblies, suppliers, and processes meet engineering requirements and quality standards.

You will work with test operations, manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, program management, and suppliers to identify quality risks, resolve nonconformances, and deliver reliable mission-critical operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM, Quality Engineering or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5–10 years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test in aerospace.
• Experience in quality engineering, ground and flight test execution, or aerospace hardware.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, technical specifications, bills of materials, work instructions, and inspection requirements.
• Proven experience with nonconformance management, root cause analysis, corrective action, trend analysis, and quality documentation.
• Familiarity with inspection methods, measurement tools, and manufacturing processes in aerospace or complex hardware integration.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with engineering, manufacturing, test operations, supply chain, and program leadership.
• Willingness to travel and work outdoors at test ranges and other program requirements.
• Overtime and weekend coverage as required.

Responsibilities

• Support quality planning, inspections, readiness, and acceptance activities for the weapons system and subsystems.
• Review engineering drawings, specifications, work instructions, inspection plans, and acceptance criteria.
• Develop and maintain quality documentation, including inspection plans, control plans, first article inspections, nonconformance reports, corrective actions, and quality records.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action efforts for manufacturing defects, supplier issues, test failures, process/procedure failures, and any other quality concerns.
• Support material review board activities, disposition of nonconforming material, and implementation of containment actions.
• Work with manufacturing and engineering teams to build, process capability, and product reliability.
• Analyze quality data, defect trends, performance, and escape rates to identify improvement opportunities.
• Participate in supplier quality activities, including issue resolution, corrective actions, and quality flow-down requirements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable aerospace, defense, customer, and internal quality requirements.
• Promote a culture of safety, compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Quality engineering

Root cause analysis

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Tools

AS9100 knowledge

FMEA

8D problem solving

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 seeking a Quality Engineer to support the development, inspection, execution, and continuous improvement of the X-BAT program. This fast-paced role is responsible for ensuring weapons system hardware, assemblies, suppliers, manufacturing processes, test processes, and final products meet engineering requirements and quality standards.

You will work closely with test operations, manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, program management, and suppliers to identify quality risks, resolve nonconformances, improve processes, and deliver reliable mission critical operations.

What you’ll do:

• Support quality planning, inspections, readiness, and acceptance activities for the weapons system and subsystems
• Review engineering drawings, specifications, work instructions, inspection plans, and acceptance criteria
• Develop and maintain quality documentation, including inspection plans, control plans, first article inspections, nonconformance reports, corrective actions, and quality records
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action efforts for manufacturing defects, supplier issues, test failures, process/procedure failures, and any other quality concerns
• Support material review board activities, disposition of nonconforming material, and implementation of containment actions
• Work with manufacturing and engineering teams to build, process capability, and product reliability
• Analyze quality data, defect trends, performance, and escape rates to identify improvement opportunities
• Participate in supplier quality activities, including issue resolution, corrective actions, and quality flow-down requirements
• Ensure compliance with applicable aerospace, defense, customer, and internal quality requirements
• Promote a culture of safety, compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in science, Engineering, Technology, and Math (STEM), Quality Engineering or related field, or similar experience levels supporting developmental test operations.
• 5-10 years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned/manned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering
• Experience in quality engineering, ground and flight test execution, maintenance, manufacturing engineering, supplier quality, production support, or aerospace hardware
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, technical specifications, bills of materials, work instructions, and inspection requirements
• Proven experience with nonconformance management, root cause analysis, corrective action, trend analysis, and quality documentation
• Familiarity with inspection methods, measurement tools, and manufacturing processes used in aerospace or complex hardware integration and development test environments
• Strong analytic, problem-solving, and communication skills
• Ability to work cross-functionally with engineering, manufacturing, test operations, supply chain, and program leadership
• Maintains liaison with manufacturing, engineering, material management, suppliers to resolve quality problems
• Detail-oriented approach with a strong commitment to product quality and process discipline
• Ability to work in a fast-paced ground and flight test environment
• Willingness to travel and work outdoors at test ranges and other program requirements
• Overtime and weekend coverage as required

Preferred qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering
• Knowledge of AS9100, ISO9001, FAA, DoW, and other aerospace and defense quality standards
• Experience with first acritical inspections
• Experience supporting protype aircraft, weapon systems, or mission critical aerospace systems
• Familiarity with configuration management, drawing release processes, and engineering change processes
• Experience using quality tools such as 8D, 5 Why’s, Fishbone diagrams, FMEA, control plans, or process capability analysis
• Certified Quality Engineer, Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, or related certification

$110,000 - $160,000 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.