Shield AI

Staff Advance Industrial Engineer

Shield AI$110K — $130K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related discipline.
  • 8+ years of experience in industrial engineering, factory design, manufacturing systems, or greenfield facility development.
  • Proven experience in designing factory layouts and production lines for complex products.
  • Hands-on experience with greenfield manufacturing projects or major production line launches.
  • Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes such as machining and assembly, especially in aerospace or defense industries.
  • Demonstrated ability in leading cross-functional projects in high-growth environments.
  • Excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving capabilities.

Responsibilities

  • Lead factory layout and production line design for various programs.
  • Plan and execute greenfield manufacturing facilities, including space allocation and utility requirements.
  • Develop manufacturing concepts ensuring scalability and operational efficiency.
  • Optimize material flow, kitting strategies, and warehouse logistics.
  • Create detailed 2D and 3D factory layouts and models.
  • Conduct capacity planning and bottleneck analysis to meet production targets.
  • Implement Lean Manufacturing initiatives to enhance efficiency.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance coverage.
  • Retirement plan options with company match.
  • Equity opportunities.
  • Flexible work hours and remote work options.
  • Professional development and training opportunities.
Full Job Description
Job Description:

We are seeking a highly motivated Staff Advance Industrial Engineer to design, optimize, and scale world-class manufacturing systems for advanced aerospace products. In this role, you will lead factory and production system design, including facility layouts, material flow, line balancing, capacity planning, and production readiness. You will also play a critical role in planning and executing greenfield manufacturing facilities, developing factory concepts from the ground up, including production layouts, infrastructure requirements, equipment planning, material flow strategies, and manufacturing standards.

Partnering with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Facilities, Quality, EHS, and Program Management, you will develop efficient, scalable, and data-driven manufacturing solutions that enable rapid production growth. This is a high-impact role responsible for transforming manufacturing concepts into production-ready factories while driving safety, quality, throughput, and operational excellence.

What you'll do:
  • Lead factory layout development, production line design, and manufacturing system optimization for new and existing production programs.
  • Support the planning and execution of greenfield manufacturing facilities, including factory master planning, space allocation, utility requirements, equipment placement, production flow, and long-term capacity planning.
  • Develop manufacturing concepts from initial factory planning through production launch, ensuring scalability, flexibility, and operational efficiency.
  • Design and optimize material flow, point-of-use storage, supermarkets, kitting strategies, replenishment systems, tugger routes, and warehouse logistics.
  • Develop detailed 2D factory layouts and 3D manufacturing models, including equipment placement, utilities, workstations, safety zones, production support infrastructure, and future expansion plans.
  • Perform capacity planning, line balancing, takt time analysis, labor planning, buffer sizing, and bottleneck analysis to achieve production targets.
  • Conduct time studies, ergonomic assessments, spaghetti diagrams, and workflow analyses to improve productivity and eliminate waste.
  • Develop manufacturing standards for material presentation, packaging, FIFO management, visual controls, workstation design, and factory operating standards.
  • Lead cross-functional factory design reviews with Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Facilities, Supply Chain, Quality, EHS, and Program Management.
  • Utilize discrete-event simulation tools to model production throughput, identify constraints, validate factory designs, and optimize manufacturing strategies before implementation.
  • Support facility construction, equipment installation, tape-outs, utility coordination, commissioning, and production readiness activities during factory launches.
  • Drive Lean Manufacturing initiatives including 5S, visual management, standardized work, continuous improvement, and value stream optimization.
  • Develop and maintain factory design standards, launch playbooks, production system guidelines, and manufacturing best practices to support future factory expansions and replication.


Tools & Skills
  • AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Revit, Visio, or equivalent CAD/layout software
  • Siemens Plant Simulation, FlexSim, AnyLogic, or equivalent discrete-event simulation software
  • Time studies, MTM/MOST, work measurement, and labor analysis
  • Capacity modeling, line balancing, takt planning, and production system design
  • Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), 5S, Kanban, and Visual Management
  • Material flow analysis, warehouse and logistics design
  • Factory master planning and facility layout development
  • Strong analytical, project management, and cross-functional leadership skills

Required qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
  • 8+ years of experience in industrial engineering, factory design, manufacturing systems, production planning, advanced manufacturing engineering, or greenfield facility development.
  • Experience designing factory layouts, production lines, and scalable manufacturing systems for complex products.
  • Experience supporting greenfield manufacturing projects, facility expansions, or major production line launches.
  • Strong understanding of manufacturing processes including machining, composites, electrical assemblies, precision mechanical assemblies, and final integration.
  • Experience supporting production ramp-up, new product introduction (NPI), and manufacturing process development.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional projects in a fast-paced, high-growth manufacturing environment.
  • Excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred qualifications:
  • Aerospace, defense, automotive, or advanced manufacturing industry experience.
  • Experience leading greenfield factory development, factory relocation, or major manufacturing expansion projects.
  • Knowledge of AS9100, ISO 9001, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
  • Experience with automated material handling systems, robotics, AGVs/AMRs, automated storage systems, or Industry 4.0 technologies.
  • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or equivalent continuous improvement certification.
  • Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), ERP systems, digital factory technologies, and production simulation software.

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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