Be an Early Applicant
Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
The Role
Lead financial planning and analysis for the Hivemind business unit. Build financial models, perform operational finance and data analysis, support government contracting and cost accounting, partner with engineering, operations, and product leaders, apply IFRS/AASB/GAAP, and present actionable financial insights to inform strategy and optimize performance.
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.
We’re looking for a Finance Lead with sharp analytical instincts and a passion for driving business performance to join our high-performing finance team. Supporting our fastest-growing Hivemind business unit, this is a high-visibility, high-impact role where your insights will directly shape strategy and fuel innovation.
In this fast-paced, constantly evolving environment, you won’t just crunch numbers—you’ll influence decisions, uncover opportunities, and partner with leaders across engineering, operations, and product to deliver actionable financial intelligence. Your work will help optimize performance and steer one of our most critical business areas toward sustained growth.
The ideal candidate brings deep experience in financial modeling, operational finance, and data analysis, as well as a solid grasp of IFRS/AASB/GAAP, government contracting, and both hardware and software businesses. If you're energized by complexity, motivated by results, and ready to make a real impact, we want to hear from you.
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or a related field
- 8+ years of progressive experience in financial analysis, corporate finance, or FP&A
- Experience working in the Aerospace & Defence industry, ideally supporting government or defence programs
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, financial modeling, and data analysis
- Strong understanding of IFRS/AASB/GAAP, with practical experience applying accounting principles in a government contracting
- Familiarity with cost accounting concepts and government contract structures (e.g., T&M, CPFF, FFP)
- Solid understanding of financial statements and business metrics
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaborate cross-functionally in a fast-moving environment
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to present complex financial data to non-financial stakeholders
Preferred qualifications:
- MBA or Master’s degree in a related discipline
- Experience supporting operations or customer-facing teams in a manufacturing, aerospace, or tech environment
- Experience with ERP and planning systems (e.g. SAP, Oracle, Costpoint, or comparable tools)
- Track record of being a high performer with a bias for action, intellectual curiosity, and attention to detail
- Passion for using data to tell a story and drive strategic decisions
#LI-FB1
#LD
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.
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, colour, 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 Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or related field
- 8+ years progressive experience in financial analysis, corporate finance, or FP&A
- Experience in the Aerospace & Defence industry supporting government or defence programs
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, financial modeling, and data analysis
- Strong understanding of IFRS/AASB/GAAP with practical experience applying accounting principles in government contracting
- Familiarity with cost accounting concepts and government contract structures (e.g., T&M, CPFF, FFP)
- Solid understanding of financial statements and business metrics
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaborate cross-functionally
- Excellent communication skills with ability to present complex financial data to non-financial stakeholders
- MBA or Master's degree in a related discipline
- Experience supporting operations or customer-facing teams in manufacturing, aerospace, or tech environments
- Experience with ERP and planning systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Costpoint, or comparable tools)
- Track record of high performance, bias for action, intellectual curiosity, and attention to detail
- Passion for using data to tell a story and drive strategic decisions
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
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Shield AI Insights
Am I A Good Fit?
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.
Success! Refresh the page to see how your skills align with this role.
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
