Shield AI

Sr. Staff System Security Engineer (R5357)

Shield AI$170K — $250K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's in Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
  • 8+ years in cybersecurity engineering, defense systems, or military aerospace
  • Experience leading cybersecurity for complex integrated or defense systems
  • Strong knowledge of RMF, STIGs, system hardening, and network security
  • Expertise across hardware, software, and mission system integration environments
  • Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance.

Responsibilities

  • Own the cybersecurity strategy and architecture for aircraft and mission systems
  • Define requirements, security architectures, and threat models for resilient operations
  • Lead RMF execution, accreditation, and security compliance efforts
  • Integrate cybersecurity within systems engineering and testing teams
  • Support testing, incident response, and risk mitigation across platforms

Benefits

  • Bonus potential
  • Equity opportunities
  • Comprehensive benefits package after 60 days for temporary employees
  • Robust employee offer for full-time roles
  • Pay range adjusted for experience and qualifications.
Full Job Description
Job Description:

We are seeking a System Security Engineer to lead cybersecurity activities across X-Bat and its associated mission systems, networks, ground systems, and support infrastructure. This role directly impacts mission survivability, operational resiliency, platform accreditation, and program execution by ensuring cybersecurity is architected, integrated, validated, and sustained across the entire system lifecycle.

The engineer will serve as a key stakeholder for platform cybersecurity, driving secure system design, cyber resilience, RMF execution, compliance, vulnerability management, and cross-domain integration activities. This position plays a critical role in reducing cyber risk, enabling airworthiness and accreditation, and ensuring the platform can operate effectively in contested and denied environments.

What you'll do:

  • Own the platform cybersecurity strategy and architecture across aircraft systems, mission systems, networks, ground systems, datalinks, and support infrastructure
  • Define cybersecurity requirements, system behaviors, security architectures, threat models, and operational workflows to ensure resilient and survivable mission operations
  • Lead RMF execution, accreditation activities, STIG implementation, vulnerability management, and security compliance efforts to support program milestones and operational fielding
  • Drive cross-functional integration between systems engineering, avionics, software, networking, mission systems, test, and airworthiness teams to embed cybersecurity throughout the platform lifecycle
  • Support cybersecurity testing, incident response, root cause analysis, and risk mitigation activities across lab, ground, and flight test environments to improve platform resiliency and mission readiness


Required qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field
  • 8+ years of experience in cybersecurity engineering, defense systems, mission systems, or military aerospace programs
  • Experience leading cybersecurity activities for complex integrated systems or defense platforms
  • Strong knowledge of RMF, STIGs, system hardening, network security, secure architectures, and vulnerability management processes
  • Experience working across hardware, software, networking, and mission system integration environments
  • Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.


Preferred qualifications:

  • Experience supporting military aircraft, UAV, mission systems, or tactical communication platforms
  • Familiarity with resilient system architectures, zero trust principles, cross-domain solutions, and contested environment operations
  • Experience with MBSE methodologies and tools such as Cameo Systems Modeler
  • Background supporting cybersecurity test events, airworthiness, or platform accreditation activities
  • Active Secret or Top Secret clearance preferred


$170,000 - $250,000 a year

#LD

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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