Shield AI is seeking a highly driven Sr. Manager Materials Planning & Logistics to lead supply planning, material readiness, production planning, and logistics execution for next-generation autonomous aircraft development programs and a new greenfield manufacturing facility. This leadership role is accountable for establishing the people, processes, systems, and infrastructure required to support rapid product development, new product introduction, and the transition to scalable rate production.
The ideal candidate combines strong operational leadership with hands-on execution, thrives in fast-paced environments, and has experience building manufacturing and supply chain capabilities from the ground up. You will work cross-functionally with Engineering, Program Management, Quality, Procurement, and Operations teams.
What you'll do:
Own the materials planning, production control, inventory, warehousing, and logistics strategy.
Partner with Engineering, Program Management, and Procurement to develop and maintain accurate build plans that are aligned with program milestones.
Define and monitor key performance indicators for schedule attainment, material availability, shortage reduction, inventory health, work-order execution, and planning accuracy.
Identify long-lead material risks and implement mitigation strategies to protect schedule.
Oversee the development and execution of material recovery plans.
Drive engineering change management processes to support rapid development and ECO implementation.
Develop planning models that support rapid prototyping, design iteration, and low-rate initial production activities.
Support executive-level program and operations reviews by clearly communicating material status, risks, business impacts, and required decisions.
Lead planning and logistics readiness activities for a new manufacturing facility.
Design and implement warehouse, stockroom, and material flow processes from receiving through point-of-use consumption.
Establish inventory control procedures, material storage standards, and transaction discipline.
Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Facilities teams to optimize material movement and operational efficiency.
Create a culture focused on accountability, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and mission execution.
Establish standard work and training programs.
Drive cross-functional collaboration to solve complex challenges.
Development Program Materials Planning
Greenfield Facility Build & Operational Readiness
Team Leadership
Required qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, Business, or related field.
7+ years of experience in materials planning, inventory management, or supply chain operations.
Experience supporting complex hardware development programs in aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, or advanced manufacturing environments.
Demonstrated experience implementing or scaling material planning and inventory management processes.
Strong understanding of MRP/ERP systems and supply chain planning methodologies.
Experience managing material readiness for new product introduction (NPI) and engineering development programs.
Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, highly dynamic environment with evolving priorities.
Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain/maintain a security clearance
Preferred qualifications:
Experience supporting greenfield manufacturing facility launches or major facility expansions.
Aerospace, defense, unmanned systems, or advanced technology manufacturing experience.
Experience with Oracle, SAP, Costpoint, or similar ERP platforms.
APICS/ASCM certifications (CPIM, CSCP) or equivalent.
Familiarity with ITAR, EAR, DFARS, and government contracting requirements.
Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or operational excellence experience.
Experience supporting production ramp and transition from development to rate manufacturing.
Why Shield AI:
At Shield AI, you'll help build technology that matters. You'll work alongside world-class engineers, operators, and innovators solving some of the most challenging problems in autonomy and national security. This is a unique opportunity to shape the foundation of a rapidly growing aerospace and defense company while helping bring revolutionary autonomous systems into operational service.
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Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, Business, or a related field
- 7+ years of experience in materials planning, inventory management, or supply chain operations
- Experience supporting complex hardware development programs in aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, or advanced manufacturing
- Experience implementing or scaling material planning and inventory management processes
- Strong understanding of MRP/ERP systems and supply chain planning methodologies
- Experience managing material readiness for new product introduction and engineering development programs
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with evolving priorities
- Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills
- U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
- Experience supporting greenfield manufacturing facility launches or major facility expansions
- Aerospace, defense, unmanned systems, or advanced technology manufacturing experience
- Experience with Oracle, SAP, Costpoint, or similar ERP platforms
- APICS/ASCM certifications, including CPIM or CSCP, or equivalent
- Familiarity with ITAR, EAR, DFARS, and government contracting requirements
- Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or operational excellence experience
- Experience supporting production ramp and transition from development to rate manufacturing
What the Team is Saying
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as excellent, with dental/vision and mental‑health support, and ancillary protections like life and disability appearing in benefit summaries. The breadth and perceived affordability of coverage are highlighted as a standout component of the package.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is featured alongside enhanced maternity benefits, fertility and childcare support, and onsite resources such as a Mother’s Room. These elements are positioned as competitive and above the minimal baseline for the company’s stage.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity is granted to all full‑time hires, with RSUs, double‑trigger tax timing, and tools to model scenarios (e.g., through Carta Tax). Communications also reference a transition from options to RSUs, reinforcing access and maturity of ownership programs.
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.
