We are seeking a Senior Cybersecurity Engineer to lead cybersecurity activities for an airborne aerospace and defense platform. This role will integrate cybersecurity across avionics, mission systems, aircraft networks, communications, embedded software, and ground-support systems.
What You'll Do
- Develop the platform’s cybersecurity architecture, requirements, and protection strategy.
- Perform threat modeling, vulnerability assessments, attack-surface analysis, and cyber risk assessments.
- Define protections for secure boot, authentication, access control, encryption, key management, software updates, and data communications.
- Apply defense-in-depth across aircraft systems, networks, radios, data links, and external interfaces.
- Lead DoD Risk Management Framework activities and develop required authorization evidence.
- Evaluate hardware, software, firmware, and supplier designs for cybersecurity risks.
- Develop cybersecurity verification plans and support vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and cyber-resiliency testing.
- Coordinate risk mitigation and corrective actions with engineering teams, suppliers, customers, and program leadership.
- Ensure cybersecurity solutions support aircraft safety, availability, and mission effectiveness.
What You'll Bring
- Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, computer engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, systems engineering, or a related field.
- Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree.
- Experience with aircraft, aerospace, defense, or other mission-critical embedded systems.
- Knowledge of avionics, mission systems, platform networks, communications, or data links.
- Experience with threat modeling, secure system architecture, vulnerability analysis, and security testing.
- Familiarity with DoD RMF, NIST security guidance, cryptography, and key management.
- Strong technical leadership, writing, and customer communication skills.
- Ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance.
- Cybersecurity experience on military aircraft, unmanned aircraft, or airborne mission systems.
- Familiarity with NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-160, DO-326A, DO-355, and DO-356A.
- Experience with anti-tamper, program protection, supply-chain risk management, or cross-domain solutions.
- Experience supporting cyber testing, penetration testing, or adversarial assessments.
- Relevant certification such as CISSP, Security+, CEH, or GIAC.
- Active U.S. security clearance.
Required Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, computer engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, systems engineering, or a related field.
- At least 5 years of related experience with a bachelor's degree.
- Experience with aircraft, aerospace, defense, or other mission-critical embedded systems.
- Knowledge of avionics, mission systems, platform networks, communications, or data links.
- Experience with threat modeling, secure system architecture, vulnerability analysis, and security testing.
- Familiarity with DoD RMF, NIST security guidance, cryptography, and key management.
- Strong technical leadership, writing, and customer communication skills.
- Ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance.
- Cybersecurity experience on military aircraft, unmanned aircraft, or airborne mission systems.
- Familiarity with NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-160, DO-326A, DO-355, and DO-356A.
- Experience with anti-tamper, program protection, supply-chain risk management, or cross-domain solutions.
- Experience supporting cyber testing, penetration testing, or adversarial assessments.
- Relevant certification such as CISSP, Security+, CEH, or GIAC.
- Active U.S. security clearance.
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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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
