Be an Early Applicant
Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
The Role
Perform electrical failure analysis on avionics hardware (PCBAs, harnesses, connectors), lead root-cause investigations using FA techniques (cross-sectioning, microscopy, X-ray), debug with lab tools, collaborate with design, reliability, manufacturing, and suppliers, and drive corrective actions to improve product and supplier quality.
Summary Generated by Built In
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and 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.
Job Description:
Shield AI is pioneering AI pilots for aircraft that protect service members and civilians—pushing the boundaries of autonomous flight. V-BAT is designed for deployment in the most demanding, high-stakes environments.
We are looking for a failure analysis engineer to join our team, focused on the design, integration and troubleshooting of electronics systems critical to our aircraft. This role is perfect for an engineer with a solid foundation in power systems, embedded systems who is eager to grow, own challenging projects, and see their work move rapidly from concept to flight. If you thrive in fast-paced environments, enjoy solving complex problems, and want to help build the future of autonomous aviation, we want to hear from you.
What you'll do:
- Perform failure analysis investigations for avionics hardware, including: PCBAs (digital, analog, power, mixed signal), harnesses, connectors, and interconnects
- Perform root cause analysis
- Conduct and/or oversee electrical, mechanical, and environmental failure analysis
- Collaborate with design engineers to identify design vulnerabilities, manufacturing and suppliers on process-related issues
- Work closely with cross-functional teams (reliability, mechanical, embedded, software, production, supply chain, etc.)
- Drive design, process, and supplier corrective actions to closure
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering; or equivalent work experience
- 2+ years of experience in failure analysis, reliability, or hardware debug or PCBA design
- Strong technical fundamentals
- Familiar with cross-sectioning, microscopy, X-ray, and other FA techniques
- Strong hands-on experience with debugging tools: multimeter, oscilloscope, etc.
- Demonstrated track record of extreme ownership, working hard, and delivering outstanding outcomes
- A track record of successfully delivery of products and solutions, overcome obstacles, and deliver high-quality solutions to meet project deadlines and exceed expectations in a fast-paced environment
- Proactively identify opportunities for improvement within organization, demonstrating initiative to propose and implement innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, quality, and overall project success and aircraft reliability
- Ability to independently drive investigations from symptom to root cause
#LI-JM2
#LB
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.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience
- 2+ years experience in failure analysis, reliability, hardware debug, or PCBA design
- Hands-on experience with PCBAs (digital, analog, power, mixed-signal), harnesses, connectors, and interconnects
- Familiarity with failure analysis techniques: cross-sectioning, microscopy, X-ray
- Proficiency with debugging tools (multimeter, oscilloscope, etc.)
- Strong technical fundamentals in power systems and embedded systems
- Ability to independently drive investigations from symptom to root cause and implement corrective actions
- Demonstrated ownership and track record of delivering high-quality solutions on schedule
What the Team is Saying
Dylan
Lead Engineer, Planning and Controls-Motion
Mo
Lead Engineer, Platform Automation
Willy
Technical Director
Michael
Engineering Manager - State Estimation
Vibhav
Senior Staff Engineer
Kirby
Mechanical Engineer
Ryan
CEO
Evan
Senior Machine Learning Engineer
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Company materials describe excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage alongside a mental‑health EAP. Site perks such as an onsite gym in DC and a gym discount in San Diego support a health‑focused offering.
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Retirement Support — Careers materials highlight a 401(k) with company match as part of the standard package. A Total Rewards overview emphasizes retirement features within a broader, transparent compensation view.
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Career-Linked Recognition & Rewards — Compensation for in‑demand technical and senior go‑to‑market roles is described as competitive, with visible engineering ranges and top‑end packages. This points to meaningful upside tied to role, level, and scarce skills.
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The Company
What We Do
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.
Why Work With Us
What makes Shield AI special is our people. We unlock the power of autonomy, and in the face of overwhelming odds and challenges, we find ways to win and make a difference for our customers. We bring together software, AI, and aerospace engineering disciplines to deploy the most intelligent aviation capabilities in the world.
Gallery
Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Typical time on-site:
3 days a week
