Shield AI

Senior Product Designer (R4854)

Shield AI$110K — $130K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent.
  • 5+ years of professional HMI/UX design experience in aerospace, defense, or commercial sectors.
  • Expert-level proficiency in Figma for component systems and prototyping.
  • Deep understanding of human factors, cognitive workload, and situational awareness in design.
  • Experience collaborating with cross-disciplinary engineering teams.
  • Ability to navigate complex problem spaces and create effective design solutions.

Responsibilities

  • Engage in end-to-end design of Human-Machine Interface systems for UAV ground control stations.
  • Translate complex system requirements into intuitive user interfaces that prioritize safety.
  • Develop wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and prototypes using Figma.
  • Collaborate with engineers, pilots, and human factors experts to enhance design effectiveness.
  • Apply human factors principles to improve usability, manage workload, and enhance situational awareness.
  • Design real-time data visualizations for mission-critical operations including telemetry and navigation.
  • Conduct usability testing and iterate designs based on user feedback.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance.
  • Bonus opportunities based on performance metrics.
  • Equity participation in the company.
  • Flexible work arrangements and a supportive work culture.
Full Job Description
Job Description:

We're looking for a Human Machine Interface (HMI) Designer to join our team developing next-generation Ground Control Station (GCS) applications for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). This role is ideal for engineers with a strong foundation in real-time, performance-sensitive software who also bring experience with modern web technologies.

You'll work on mission-critical software designs that bridges responsive user interfaces with robust backend systems, enabling human operators to plan, command, and monitor autonomous assets with precision and reliability.

What you'll do:
  • Engage in end-to-end design of HMI systems for UAV ground control station displays
  • Translate complex system requirements into clear, intuitive, and safety-critical user interfaces
  • Develop wireframes, user flows, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes using Figma
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with systems engineers, pilots/operators, software developers, and human factors experts
  • Apply human factors engineering principles to optimize usability, workload, and situational awareness
  • Design for real-time data visualization, including telemetry, navigation, sensor fusion, and mission planning tools
  • Conduct usability testing, simulations, and iterative design validation
  • Contribute to and maintain a design system and component library within Figma for consistency and scalability
  • Work with other designers to help establish best practices in HMI/UX design
  • Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Required qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
  • 5+ years of professional experience designing HMI/UX for aerospace, defense, or other commercial applications.
  • Expert-level proficiency in Figma (component systems, prototyping, design systems)
  • Strong understanding of:
    • Human factors
    • Cognitive workload and situational awareness
    • Real-time system interfaces and data visualization
  • Experience working with cross-disciplinary engineering teams
  • Ability to handle complex, ambiguous problem spaces and translate them into usable designs

Preferred qualifications:
  • Demonstrated experience designing interfaces for:
    • Aircraft cockpits (manned) and/or Unmanned systems / Ground Control Stations (GCS).
  • Experience designing for multi-screen, touch, and hardware-integrated interfaces
  • Knowledge of simulation environments or operator-in-the-loop testing
  • Background in designing for degraded environments or high-stress operational contexts
  • Familiarity with additional tools (e.g., Adobe CC, Principle, Framer), but Figma expertise is strongly prioritized

#LI-AA1

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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.

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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