We are seeking a highly skilled Hardware in the Loop Lab Technician to support the fabrication, instrumentation, and testing of new aerospace products. This role is ideal for a hands-on builder who thrives in dynamic environments, has deep experience working with aircraft systems and fabrication methods, and has a background building and maintaining a Systems Integration Lab.
You will be a key contributor in helping bring cutting-edge designs to life, playing a vital role in everything from early-stage prototype development to detailed testing and validation of final assemblies.
What you'll do:
- Construct and assemble air vehicle systems and subsystems such as landing gear, mechanisms, fluid systems, test articles in alignment with engineering drawings, engineering instructions, and CAD models.
- Support the design, prototyping, and fabrication of new products, R&D initiatives, and flight-ready hardware.
- Work with aerospace-grade materials and perform component repairs using industry-standard techniques and tools.
- Fabricate fixtures, machine brackets, and execute rapid modifications on prototype hardware as needed.
- Install strain gauges, thermocouples and various sensors according to precise instrumentation schematics.
- Route cabling, integrate data acquisition systems, and verify sensor calibration and operational status.
- Conduct mechanical testing by applying static and dynamic loads per detailed engineering procedures.
- Document test outcomes clearly and report anomalies or irregularities in a timely manner.
- Ensure a clean, organized, and safe workspace across shop, lab, and composite work areas.
- Contribute to ongoing improvements in instrumentation standards, testing procedures, and fabrication workflows.
- Source and manage inventory for parts and equipment needed for component repair or replacement.
Required qualifications:
- 4-6 years of experience in aircraft/Lab maintenance, prototype fabrication, test stand design & fabrication.
- Proficient in metallic and mechanisms fabrication, installation & removal.
- Hands-on experience in machine shop operations, including manual and/or CNC tools.
- Ability to read engineering drawings, schematics, and detailed work instructions.
- Comfortable working in shop and lab environments with exposure to noise, dust, and chemicals.
- Ability to lift and move parts and equipment (up to 50 lbs.) and perform physical work for extended periods.
- Ability to obtain a Secret level security clearance.
Preferred qualifications:
- Familiarity with a variety of mechanical systems (e.g., hydraulic actuators, pumps, fluids, load frames, DAQ systems).
- Familiarity with a variety of electrical systems (e.g., cable harness checkouts, electrical connections, power requirements).
- Experience in aerospace, automotive, defense, or high-performance prototyping environments.
- Able to work independently and adapt quickly to changing technical needs.
Skills Required
- 4-6 years of experience in aircraft/lab maintenance, prototype fabrication, test stand design & fabrication
- Proficient in metallic and mechanisms fabrication, installation & removal
- Hands-on experience in machine shop operations, including manual and/or CNC tools
- Ability to read engineering drawings, schematics, and detailed work instructions
- Comfortable working in shop and lab environments with exposure to noise, dust, and chemicals
- Ability to lift and move parts and equipment (up to 50 lbs.) and perform physical work for extended periods
- Ability to obtain a Secret level security clearance
- Familiarity with hydraulic actuators, pumps, fluids, load frames, DAQ systems
- Familiarity with cable harness checkouts, electrical connections, and power requirements
- Experience in aerospace, automotive, defense, or high-performance prototyping environments
- Able to work independently and adapt quickly to changing technical needs
What the Team is Saying
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.
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.
