Shield AI is redefining autonomous aviation with cutting-edge AI and GPS/RF-denied navigation technologies. Now, we’re building our next-generation aircraft, XBAT, that will push the boundaries of innovation and performance.
As one of the first Component Engineers at Shield AI, you'll be a foundational hire building the function from the ground up — defining process, tooling, and standards, not just executing an existing playbook. You'll guide component selection and own the qualification and lifecycle management of piece-part Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical (EEE) components across our aircraft PCBAs — driving decisions that reduce risk, control cost, and ensure long-term product reliability and survivability. This role sits at the intersection of engineering, supply chain and reliability.
What you'll do:
- Establish and scale Component Engineering processes, tools, and standards as one of the function's first dedicated hires
- Define baseline quality and certification requirements for EEE components across the XBAT aircraft
- Qualify and up-screen EEE components for use in aerospace applications, driving environmental and bench-top testing.
- Own component data and governance in PLM and the ECAD part library, including lifecycle status and approved vendor list
- Contribute to component failure analysis and root cause efforts
- Monitor and assess PCNs and lifecycle changes (NRND/EOL), and drive mitigation actions
- Support supply chain with alternate part evaluations and second-sourcing strategies
- Engage directly with suppliers to resolve technical questions
Required qualifications:
- B.S. in an engineering, physics or materials science
- 5+ years of relevant experience
- Deep knowledge of EEE components
- Understanding of Product Lifecycle Management, ECAD tools and structured component libraries
- Strong judgment in balancing performance, cost and supply chain risk
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical discussions and influence design decisions across engineering, supply chain, and program teams — including in ambiguous, fast-moving environments without an established playbook
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience building or scaling a component engineering function in a startup or fast-growth environment
- Familiar with industry-standard component qualification process (AEC-Q, NASA, JEDEC, MIL, etc)
- Knowledge of electrical component manufacturing processes and common failure modes
- Experience writing specifications/standards for internal company distribution
Skills Required
- B.S. in an engineering field
- 5+ years of relevant experience
- Understanding of Product Lifecycle Management (Arena, Teamcenter), ECAD tools (Altium) and structured component libraries
- Strong judgment in balancing performance, cost and supply chain risk
- Demonstrated track record of ownership, high standards, and effective collaboration
- Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance
- Degree in electrical engineering or computer science
- Familiarity with industry-standard component qualification processes (AEC-Q, NASA, JEDEC, MIL, etc.)
- Knowledge of electrical component manufacturing processes and common failure modes
- Proficiency in Python and SQL
- Experience writing specifications/standards for internal company distribution
What the Team is Saying
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
