Shield AI

Staff Engineer, Mission Systems - Fleet Support (R5004)

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

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
  • 5+ years of experience in payload integration, sensor integration, or mission systems engineering.
  • Proficient in troubleshooting complex hardware, software, networking, and operational systems.
  • Ability to pivot from high-level conceptual analysis to detailed subsystem investigation.
  • Experienced in working through design, integration, testing, and field support processes.
  • Strong communication skills for technical conversations with customers.

Responsibilities

  • Act as the mission systems subject matter expert for Fleet Support, leading investigations into technical issues.
  • Diagnose integration and performance challenges related to payloads and transponders.
  • Troubleshoot interfacing systems that connect externally, handling mission data outputs and connectivity.
  • Support the rollout of new technologies into the field by assessing risks and integration challenges.
  • Collaborate directly with customers and field teams to address mission impacts and develop solutions.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams to solve complex mission system problems.
  • Facilitate lab validation and integration efforts, ensuring readiness for field demonstrations.

Benefits

  • Bonus opportunities in addition to salary.
  • Equity options as part of the compensation package.
  • Comprehensive benefits for full-time regular employees.
  • Temporary benefits available for eligible temporary employees after 60 days.
Full Job Description
Job Description:

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Mission Systems Engineer to serve as the mission systems SME for the V-BAT Fleet Support team. In this role, you will own customer-facing engineering support for payload system issues, transponder system issues, emerging mission-technology integrations, and systems that communicate with external sources or provide data externally.

You will serve as the bridge between Fleet Support and the mission systems, payload, software, electrical, and communications engineering teams to ensure customers receive expert engineering support for mission-critical capabilities.

What you'll do:
  • Serve as the mission systems SME for Fleet Support and lead escalated investigations involving payloads, transponders, and externally connected mission systems.
  • Diagnose payload integration and performance issues involving power, thermal behavior, compute, configuration, data interfaces, timing, and subsystem interoperability.
  • Troubleshoot systems that communicate with external sources or provide data externally, including mission-data outputs, external interfaces, and system-to-system connectivity issues.
  • Support the introduction of emerging technologies and new mission capabilities into the fielded fleet by identifying support risks, validation needs, and integration challenges.
  • Work directly with customers, operators, and maintainers to understand mission impact, reproduce issues, and define corrective actions.
  • Partner with electrical, software, and RF teams on cross-functional mission-system problems.
  • Support lab validation, hardware integration, test readiness, and field demonstrations related to mission-system fixes.
  • Create technical guidance, interface notes, troubleshooting procedures, and customer-facing documentation for fielded mission capabilities.
  • Capture recurring issues and feed lessons learned back into product, systems, and design teams.

Required qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline.
  • 5+ years of experience in payload integration, sensor integration, mission systems, avionics integration, or aircraft systems engineering.
  • Experience troubleshooting complex systems that span hardware, software, networking, and operational workflows.
  • Strong ability to move between high-level mission context and detailed subsystem investigation.
  • Experience working across design, integration, test, and field-support environments.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills in customer-facing technical settings.

Preferred qualifications:
  • Experience with electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) payloads, radar, transponders, or other externally connected aircraft mission systems.
  • Experience with interface control documents, validation planning, and flight-test support.
  • Experience introducing new payloads or mission kits into operational fleets.
  • Experience with defense, maritime, or expeditionary mission systems.

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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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