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Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
The Role
Lead design and development of advanced electrical systems for autonomous aircraft, including circuit and subsystem design, part selection, schematic capture, simulation, verification, debugging, and production releases. Integrate embedded systems and sensors for autonomy, coordinate cross-functional teams, mentor engineers, define technical requirements, and develop automated test solutions to improve hardware reliability and production readiness.
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.
Help build the technology behind the next generation of autonomous aircraft. In this role, you will lead the design and development of advanced electrical systems, working across hardware, software, and mechanical teams to deliver innovative, high-performance solutions from concept through production.
What you'll do:
- Lead circuit design and sub-system design for our next generation aircraft and its support equipment. This includes complex system architectures utilizing custom circuitry (FPGAs, power management, analog, digital, servos, microcontrollers, sensors, radios, etc.)
- Support the design and integration of complex embedded systems and sensors which enable aircraft autonomy and AI
- Help define technical product requirements and features
- Lead and mentor teammates working on the same project
- Own circuit part selection, schematic capture, simulation, analysis, verification, debugging, and release to production
- Coordinate with cross-functional teams (mechanical, embedded, software, manufacturing, supply chain, etc.)
- Manage your project timelines and deliverables
- Conduct and attend cross-functional design reviews
- Work closely with Firmware to integrate applicable logic designs into the build/release cycle
- Provide feedback to other teams where applicable
- Help develop automated test solutions
- Proactively identify opportunities for improvement within hardware development projects, demonstrating initiative to propose and implement innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, quality, and overall project success and aircraft reliability
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering; or equivalent work experience
- You have 8+ years of industry experience as an Electrical Engineer
- Strong technical fundamentals
- Contributed to and led multiple product design cycles involving EE, ME, and SW engineering
- Demonstrated track record of extreme ownership, working hard, and delivering outstanding outcomes
- A track record of successfully shipping products, showcasing the ability to navigate through development cycles, overcome obstacles, and deliver high-quality solutions to meet project deadlines and exceed expectations in a fast-paced environment
- Proactively identify opportunities for improvement within hardware development projects, demonstrating initiative to propose and implement innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, quality, and overall project success and aircraft reliability
- Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.
#LI-DM2
#LE
Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
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. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
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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, color, 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 electrical engineering or equivalent work experience
- 8+ years of industry experience as an Electrical Engineer
- Strong technical fundamentals in electrical engineering
- Contributed to and led multiple product design cycles involving electrical, mechanical, and software engineering
- Demonstrated track record of shipping products through development cycles and delivering outcomes
- Experience with circuit and subsystem design including FPGAs, power management, analog and digital circuitry, servos, microcontrollers, sensors, and radios
- Experience with circuit part selection, schematic capture, simulation, analysis, verification, debugging, and release to production
- Experience integrating complex embedded systems and sensors enabling autonomy and AI
- Leadership and mentorship experience for teammates on project teams
- Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance
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
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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.
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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.
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Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Typical time on-site:
3 days a week
