Staff Flight Test Engineer (R4380)

Roboticsconnected; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a seasoned Flight Test Engineer to lead ground and flight test planning for X-BAT, the world’s first autonomous VTOL jet aircraft. You will shape the flight test strategy and direct campaigns to accelerate safe, rapid development of this cutting‑edge air system.

You will partner with engineering, flight operations, autonomy, and safety teams to define objectives, assess risk, execute missions, and analyze data to evaluate performance and advance the flight test program in a

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in developmental flight testing and mission control operations.
• Proven ability to lead complex test campaigns with safety in mind.
• Strong data analysis skills to evaluate aircraft performance.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute flight test campaigns for autonomous aircraft.
• Lead test planning, objectives definition, and risk assessment.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, and safety teams to collect and interpret data.

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-BAT aircraft, 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 highly experienced Flight Test Engineer to lead ground and flight test planning and execution for X-BAT, the world’s first autonomous VTOL jet aircraft. In this role, you will shape the flight test strategy, direct complex developmental test campaigns, and provide technical leadership across the program to ensure safe and rapid development of a next‑generation autonomous aircraft. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in developmental flight testing, mission control room operations, and aircraft test envelope expansion. You will work closely with engineering, flight operations, autonomy, systems integration, instrumentation, manufacturing, and safety teams to define test objectives, assess risk, execute test missions, and analyze the data required to evaluate aircraft performance and advance the flight test program. This is a high‑impact role for a technical leader who thrives in fast‑paced, experimental environments and who wants to help define the future of autonomous aviation.