The Principal Engineer will lead the engineering of mission systems for unmanned aircraft, ensuring systems meet performance and compliance standards while overseeing integration and testing from concept to deployment.
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
This engineer for mission systems will serve as a senior technical leader responsible for the end-to-end engineering of mission systems on advanced next-generation unmanned aircraft, including RF and optical/infrared sensors (Radar, IRST, EO/IR, etc..), Electronic Warfare, and associated support systems. This individual will shape the technical direction of programs, ensuring that the aircraft delivers decisive mission capabilities through robust, integrated, and certifiable system designs.
In this role, the engineer will drive mission system architectures, lead requirement development and allocation, and oversee system integration from concept through flight test and fielding. They will ensure that mission systems, avionics, and weapons are seamlessly integrated into the aircraft while meeting mission performance, safety, airworthiness, and compliance objectives.
What you'll do:
- Develop mission systems requirements and architectures to ensure overall system effectiveness
- Select mission system baselines through make vs buy trades and vendor engagements
- Develop the integration & test verification plan to include resources from bench-level hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) to flight test
- Define mission system software architectures including baseline processing and advanced algorithm development
- Drive trade studies and system-of-systems analysis to balance performance, cost, and schedule
- Serve as a technical subject matter expert for mission systems engineering across the aircraft program
- Ensure compliance with MIL-HDBK-516C, DO-178C, DO-254, and related standards
- Collaborate with program management to de-risk architectures and ensure technical maturity gates are met
- Interface with customers, partners, and suppliers to align system requirements and certifications
Required qualifications:
- B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field
- 15+ years of relevant aerospace/defense experience, with at least 5 years in aircraft mission systems integration
- Demonstrated experience with designing or integrating aircraft mission systems (Radar, EO/IR, EW, etc…)
- Working knowledge of Government modular open system approach (MOSA) standards to include open mission systems (OMS), Government Reference Architectures (GRA) or modular avionics standards.
- Strong knowledge of current aircraft mission systems vendors and capabilities
- Proven ability to work in multidisciplinary teams and deliver complex systems to fielded capability
- Strong knowledge of systems engineering processes and product development lifecycle
- Familiarity with DO-178C/DO-254 certification requirements for software and hardware
- Excellent communication skills and ability to brief technical findings to executives and customers
- Active Secret clearance and have the ability to obtain a Top Secret clearance.
Preferred qualifications:
- Master’s or PhD in Aerospace, Systems, or Electrical Engineering
- Hands-on experience with flight test operations and mission system validation
- Experience with designing or integrating multiple mission system sensor types (RF, optical, etc..)
- Knowledge of international customer domestic mission systems
- Direct experience integrating advanced sensors with autonomy and weapons
- Experience with integrating mission systems onto unmanned aircraft systems
- Background in model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and SysML tools
- Active DoD Top Secret and/or SCI clearance
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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.
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
Top Skills
Do-178C
Do-254
Electronic Warfare
Infrared Sensors
Optical Sensors
Rf Sensors
Systems Engineering Processes
Shield AI Waltham, Massachusetts, USA Office
500 Totten Pond Road, Waltham, MA, United States, 02451
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