Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Our products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies.
Job Description:We’re looking for a hands-on manufacturing leader to take X-BAT from early prototype builds through production launch and into rate production.
You will lead prototype build execution and the manufacturing setup of our new Seattle-area facility, X-Forge 3. You’ll build the production team, establish the factory’s operating system and deliver the readiness needed to scale aircraft production safely, reliably and efficiently.
This role carries accountability across the full journey: turning lessons from development builds into a repeatable production system, then leading that operation against safety, quality, delivery and cost commitments. You’ll work closely with Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain and Program Management to make that happen.
What you'll do:
- Own the day-to-day execution of X-BAT prototype and development aircraft builds, including assembly, integration, rework and build support for testing.
- Partner with Program Management to establish achievable build schedules, resource plans and milestones, making constraints and trade-offs visible early.
- Work with Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering through build-test-learn cycles, ensuring build issues are captured, resolved and reflected in future designs and production processes.
- Plan and execute pre-series builds to prove tooling, work instructions, material flow, process controls and workforce readiness before production ramp.
- Maintain configuration discipline and aircraft traceability throughout development builds in partnership with Engineering and Quality.
- Lead manufacturing setup and operational readiness for X-Forge 3, working with Facilities and Manufacturing Engineering on factory layout, equipment installation, commissioning and production flow.
- Recruit, develop and lead the production organization, building capable frontline leadership and a skilled aircraft assembly team.
- Own production staffing, training and capacity plans, aligning investment and workforce growth with program demand.
- Drive launch readiness across people, tooling, materials, processes and quality, with clear owners and closure plans for gaps.
- Lead the transition from prototype operations into Seattle production, ensuring build knowledge and lessons learned transfer with the work.
- Own production execution against safety, quality, delivery and cost targets as X-BAT moves through initial production and into sustained rate.
- Establish daily operating routines, visual management and escalation processes that surface problems early and drive timely resolution.
- Improve throughput, labor productivity, first-pass quality and schedule adherence through practical Lean methods and structured problem-solving.
- Partner with Supply Chain and Planning to align material availability, supplier readiness and outsourced manufacturing with the production plan.
- Work with Manufacturing Engineering and Quality to eliminate recurring build issues and embed permanent corrective actions.
- Deploy digital manufacturing tools and appropriate automation to improve execution, traceability and scalability.
- Give leadership a clear view of production performance, launch readiness, risks and the decisions needed to maintain progress.
Lead prototype builds and new product introduction
Establish the Seattle production operation
Deliver and scale aircraft production
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing or a related technical field.
- 10+ years of experience in aerospace or comparable advanced manufacturing, including at least 5 years leading production teams.
- Demonstrated experience leading prototype or new product introduction builds and carrying a product into sustained production.
- Proven ability to build and scale manufacturing operations, including workforce development, capacity planning and production systems.
- Experience leading complex assembly and integration operations with demanding quality, configuration and traceability requirements.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing readiness, tooling validation, material coordination and production launch.
- Track record of improving safety, quality, delivery and cost through Lean manufacturing and structured problem-solving.
- Ability to lead across Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain and Program Management, resolving competing priorities and driving clear accountability.
- A hands-on leadership style, with the ability to move between long-term factory planning and detailed problem-solving on the floor.
Preferred qualifications:
- Direct experience taking a new aircraft program from prototype through initial and rate production.
- Experience establishing a new manufacturing facility or transferring production between sites.
- Experience in aircraft final assembly, systems integration and production test.
- Familiarity with aerospace quality systems, including AS9100, and digital manufacturing and traceability tools.
- Experience managing production interfaces with outsourced manufacturing partners and complex supplier networks.
- Advanced degree or relevant training in manufacturing leadership, program management or production launch.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, or a related technical field
- 10+ years of experience in aerospace or comparable advanced manufacturing
- At least 5 years leading production teams
- Experience leading prototype or new product introduction builds through sustained production
- Experience building and scaling manufacturing operations, including workforce development, capacity planning, and production systems
- Experience leading complex assembly and integration operations with demanding quality, configuration, and traceability requirements
- Strong understanding of manufacturing readiness, tooling validation, material coordination, and production launch
- Track record improving safety, quality, delivery, and cost through Lean manufacturing and structured problem-solving
- Ability to lead across Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program Management
- Hands-on leadership style with ability to manage factory planning and detailed floor-level problem-solving
- Direct experience taking a new aircraft program from prototype through initial and rate production
- Experience establishing a new manufacturing facility or transferring production between sites
- Experience in aircraft final assembly, systems integration, and production test
- Familiarity with aerospace quality systems, including AS9100, and digital manufacturing and traceability tools
- Experience managing outsourced manufacturing partners and complex supplier networks
- Advanced degree or relevant training in manufacturing leadership, program management, or production launch
What the Team is Saying
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
-
Healthcare Strength — Company materials highlight comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with mental-health support and an EAP. Third-party benefits summaries also portray health coverage as a strong component of the package.
-
Retirement Support — Offerings include a 401(k) with employer matching, cited on the careers page and independent benefits directories. Multiple sources indicate a match exists, though exact formulas have varied over time and warrant confirmation.
-
Equity Value & Accessibility — Company communications describe equity for all full-time hires and stock benefits as part of total rewards. Independent listings also note company equity/RSUs as a standard element.
Shield AI Insights
What We Do
At Shield AI, you won't wait years to see your work reach the field. You'll build hardware and software that operates in the real world right now, in the hands of the people who depend on it. Hivemind, our AI pilot, has been flying since 2018. It has flown more than 30 platforms, including an F-16, and it now sits under a U.S. Air Force production contract for Collaborative Combat Aircraft. When you write code or shape a system here, you contribute to technology with a proven flight record and a clear production future. V-BAT flies intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions with an operational record that stretches from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific. It delivers eyes where they matter most, in the most demanding conditions on earth. The teams behind it watch their work get tested where the stakes are real. X-BAT takes its first flight this year. It's an AI-piloted fighter that needs no runway, built to operate where traditional aircraft can't. Join now and you help shape a program at its earliest, most formative stage. That's the kind of ground-floor work that defines a career. Do the most impactful work of your life, on problems that matter. Autonomy at this level asks a lot of you. You'll take on problems in perception, planning, and control that few teams anywhere are equipped to solve. You'll work across disciplines, from aerospace and robotics to machine learning and systems engineering, alongside people who hold themselves to an exacting standard and expect the same from you. Our mission is clear: protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. That purpose runs through every decision, every design review, and every deployment. It's why the work here carries a weight you can feel. Ready to join our mission? Explore our open roles and find where you fit.
Why Work With Us
Founded in 2015 by a former Navy SEAL, Shield AI builds AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft. Veterans aren't an afterthought here, they're at every level. It's why the work carries weight: AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft flying real missions, from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific, protecting service members and civilians.
Gallery
%203.jpg)
Shield AI Teams
.jpg)
Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
