Staff UAS Flight Test Operator - 5793

Shield; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI in San Diego is seeking a Staff UAS Flight Test Operator to lead system-level flight test campaigns for the Hivemind Mission Autonomy platform across multi-rotor and fixed-wing UAS. You will oversee flight operations, test plans, and risk assessments.

You will configure and maintain UAS, payloads, and ground control systems; test pre-release SDKs, document results, and provide feedback to ensure product quality and customer readiness.

Qualifications

• 8+ years operating Group 1/2 UAS in test or operational settings.
• Lead complex flight ops with mission planning and debriefs.
• Strong knowledge of UAS hardware, autopilots, payloads, and test gear.
• Experience maintaining configuration control across assets and test infra.
• Develop and implement SOPs, risk assessments, and safety checks.
• Knowledge of NAS operations and flight authorization requirements.
• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.

Responsibilities

• Lead system-level flight test campaigns for Hivemind Mission Autonomy across UAS platforms.
• Plan missions per test plans, safety rules, and release criteria.
• Operate, configure, inspect, and maintain UAS, payloads, and GCS.
• Test pre-release HivemindSDK versions, verify features and performance.
• Develop customer workflows to evaluate SDK functionality and reliability.
• Document results, defects, and provide feedback to multiple teams.

Skills

UAS flight ops

Mission planning

Autopilots

Ground control

Safety procedures

Test infrastructure

Team leadership

FAA Part 107

DoD testing experience

Linux scripting

Tools

ArduPilot

PX4

QGroundControl

Mission Planner

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.

The Staff UAS Flight Test Operator leads system-level flight test operations supporting Hivemind Mission Autonomy across small UAS and external platforms. As a member of the Hivemind Product Quality team, this role supports the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) for HivemindSDK by testing pre-release software and verifying its features, capabilities, and operational performance in representative laboratory and flight environments. The operator is responsible for the operational readiness, configuration, and safe operation of multi-rotor and fixed-wing UAS, payloads, ground control systems, and supporting test equipment; plans and conducts single- and multi-aircraft missions; supports fly-fix-fly campaigns; validates autonomy capabilities; identifies defects and usability issues; and provides actionable feedback to improve the quality and customer readiness of each release.

What You'll Do:

• Lead system-level flight test campaigns for Hivemind Mission Autonomy across multi-rotor, fixed-wing, and external UAS platforms, including day-to-day fly-fix-fly operations.
• Plan and conduct missions in accordance with approved test plans, test cards, configuration requirements, release criteria, and safety procedures.
• Operate, configure, inspect, and maintain UAS, payloads, ground control systems, communications equipment, and supporting test infrastructure across laboratory, ground, and flight-test environments.
• Test pre-release HivemindSDK versions by verifying features, integrations, autonomy capabilities, and performance against defined product and quality requirements.
• Develop and execute representative customer workflows and mission scenarios to assess SDK functionality, usability, reliability, and operational performance across aircraft types and multi-agent configurations.
• Document test results, defects, anomalies, regressions, and limitations; provide actionable feedback to product, software, systems, autonomy, and quality teams; and support issue reproduction, triage, and corrective-action verification.
• Lead operational risk assessments, crew briefings, ground checks, launch and recovery preparations, and post-flight debriefs while serving in designated leadership roles during test conduct.
• Monitor telemetry and system status, collect flight data, evaluate aircraft and autonomy behavior, and support initial anomaly investigation.
• Establish and maintain SOPs, test procedures, checklists, and operational standards; mentor flight test personnel; communicate test status and risks; and drive improvements in safety, efficiency, product quality, and customer readiness.

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience operating, configuring, and maintaining Group 1/2 UAS platforms in test, military, commercial, or operational environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex UAS flight operations, including mission planning, test-card execution, crew briefings and debriefings, and real-time coordination in dynamic test environments.
• Strong knowledge of COTS UAS hardware, autopilot systems, payloads, ground control stations, communications systems, and supporting test equipment.
• Experience assessing operational readiness and maintaining configuration control across aircraft, payloads, software, communications equipment, personnel, and test infrastructure.
• Experience developing, implementing, and executing SOPs, checklists, risk assessments, hazard mitigations, and operational processes.
• Working knowledge of National Airspace System operations, airspace coordination, flight authorization requirements, and operational planning for complex UAS missions.
• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate holder

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting autonomy, AI-enabled systems, or developmental flight test programs, particularly multi-aircraft or distributed UAS operations.
• Experience supporting test progression across simulation, software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, ground test, and flight test environments.
• Hands-on fabrication and integration experience involving mechanical assemblies, electrical systems, wiring harnesses, avionics, payloads, and supporting test equipment.
• Proficiency with ArduPilot, PX4, QGroundControl, and Mission Planner, with working knowledge of Linux, IP networking, MAVLink, ROS/ROS 2, or basic scripting.
• Military UAS operations or experience supporting DoD developmental testing, operational testing, customer demonstrations, or other formally controlled test programs.

#LI-DS5

#LE

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.