Shield AI

Engineer II, Flight Controls - X-BAT (R4816)

Shield AI$95K — $115K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 3+ years of experience in flight controls/GNC on real flight vehicles.
  • Expertise in vehicle modeling and simulation for 6DOF environments.
  • Experience in designing control laws for fixed-wing aircraft using modern techniques.
  • Proven background in control allocation for over-actuated systems.
  • Strong knowledge of verification and validation practices in simulation.
  • Proficiency in C++, MATLAB/Simulink, and Python programming.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain U.S. security clearance.

Responsibilities

  • Design and implement flight control laws across multiple flight phases.
  • Develop high-fidelity 6DOF simulation environments for control validation.
  • Conduct verification activities, including linear analysis and HIL validation.
  • Diagnose simulation-to-test mismatches and resolve modeling gaps.
  • Support flight tests and enable rapid iterations after each flight.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams for integrated system performance.

Benefits

  • Bonus opportunities based on performance.
  • Equity options as part of the compensation package.
  • Comprehensive benefits for full-time employees after 60 days.
  • Temporary benefits available for part-time employees after 60 days.
Full Job Description
You will contribute to the flight control system for XBAT, with responsibility for delivering stable, predictable, and operationally robust performance across all phases of flight, including vertical takeoff, hover, transition out-bound, wing-borne flight, transition in-bound, and precision recovery.

What you'll do:
  • Design and implement flight control laws and supporting logic across multiple flight regimes.
  • Build and mature high-fidelity 6DOF simulation environments used for control development and ensure accurate pre-flight performance predictions
  • Execute verification activities, including linear analysis, Monte Carlo campaigns, disturbance/sensitivity/degraded operation testing, and HIL validation
  • Diagnose and resolve simulation-to-test mismatches, including unidentified dynamics and modeling gaps
  • Support flight test operations and contribute to rapid iteration between flights
  • Work closely with propulsion, aero, actuation, sensors, state estimation, and autonomy teams to ensure accurate integrated system performance in the 6DOF simulation environment.

Required qualifications:
  • 3+ years of experience working flight controls / GNC on real flight vehicles.
  • Experience performing one or more of the following technical flight control assignments:
    • Vehicle Modeling and Simulation:
      • Demonstrated experience implementing time-accurate mathematical models of the vehicle aerodynamics, mass properties, fuel system, propulsion system, sensors, actuators into a 6DOF simulation environment.
    • Control Law Design:
      • Demonstrated experience designing inner and outer loop control laws for fixed-wing aircraft using classical or modern control techniques.
    • Control Allocation:
      • Demonstrated experience designing control allocation algorithms for over-actuated systems handling actuator saturation, rate limits, failures and degradation.
    • Guidance and Autonomy Integration:
      • Demonstrated experience designing and testing real-time trajectory generation algorithms.
    • Verification and Validation:
      • Demonstrated experience executing linear, nonlinear, and Monte Carlo Analyses in a 6DOF simulation environment.
      • Demonstrated experience executing sensitivity studies, worst-case disturbance analysis, and/or failure detection and accommodation studies validating control robustness against requirements.
      • Demonstrated experience characterizing aircraft flying qualities within a high-fidelity 6DOF Simulation framework.
  • Strong background in aircraft flight dynamics and 6DOF simulation
  • Proficiency in C++, MATLAB/Simulink, and/or Python.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
  • Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Preferred qualifications:
  • Autonomous systems or missile/UAV GNC background
  • Familiarity with:
    • Sensor and air data systems
    • CI/CD pipelines and modern DevSecOps practices
  • Experience with HIL or integrated simulation/test environments and Linux-based development workflows (Git, etc.)
  • Experience operating in rapid development environments with tight iteration loops between simulation and test

#LI-SM1

#LB

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.

About Shield AI

Shield AI is a defense technology company that develops artificially intelligent systems for military applications. The company was founded in 2015 by Brandon Tseng, Ryan Tseng, and Andrew Reiter, and is headquartered in San Diego, California. Shield AI's products include autonomous drones and software that can be used for reconnaissance, surveillance, and other military operations. The company's mission is to reduce the number of military casualties by providing soldiers with better intelligence and situational awareness. Shield AI has received funding from a number of investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and Founders Fund.
Learn more about Shield AI
Size
200 employees
Industry
Founded
2015

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