What you'll do:
- Support business development and customer growth by identifying appropriate contract vehicles; preparing, reviewing, negotiating, and executing customer contracts, nondisclosure agreements, memoranda of understanding, teaming agreements, statements of work, and other agreements; and preparing contract documentation for compliant proposals.
- Support Supply Chain by providing guidance on and drafting and negotiating terms and conditions for subcontracts and supplier agreements.
- Administer large and complex government contracts, including monitoring performance and compliance, managing modifications and amendments, and leading key negotiations.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for contractual matters involving customers, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders.
- Collaborate with Legal, Finance, Program Management, and other internal teams to align transactions with Shield AI’s strategic objectives, address contractual issues, and resolve disputes.
- Identify contractual and regulatory risks and coordinate with Legal and other compliance functions to ensure compliance with FAR, DFARS, ITAR, and other applicable requirements.
- Identify and assert appropriate rights in technical data and computer software in connection with government contracts.
- Ensure timely and accurate reporting and maintain complete and organized records of contract-related activities and documentation. Manage subcontractor relationships and ensure subcontractor records are accurate, complete and in compliance with defense flow down requirements.
- Issue subcontractor RFPs and conduct cost or price analysis, when applicable, to assess price reasonableness and support negotiations.
- Coordinate and document subcontractor proposal evaluations with Program Management, technical personnel, and other stakeholders, as applicable.
- Develop and maintain a small business subcontracting plan and monitor performance against the plan.
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Business Administration, Law, Contracts Management, or a related field.
- 8+ years of experience in contract management, preferably in a defense contracting environment providing cradle-to-grave contract administration support for CPAF, CPFF, FFP and T&M government contracts.
- Strong knowledge of FAR, DFARS, OTAs, ITAR, and government procurement processes.
- Experience negotiating complex terms and conditions of sale and purchase, and managing government contracts.
- Exceptional communication and organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently as well as support multiple stakeholders in a rapid pace environment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook).
Preferred qualifications:
- Certification in Contracts Management (e.g., CPCM, CFCM, or similar)
- Experience with software licensing and development contracts
Work environment:
- Hybrid work environment with time at Shield AI’s local office and occasional travel to customer sites and other Shield AI offices outside of the local office area
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Law, Contracts Management, or a related field
- 8+ years of contract management experience, preferably in defense contracting
- Experience providing cradle-to-grave administration for CPAF, CPFF, FFP, and T&M government contracts
- Strong knowledge of FAR, DFARS, OTAs, ITAR, and government procurement processes
- Experience negotiating complex terms and conditions of sale and purchase
- Experience managing government contracts
- Exceptional communication and organizational skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to work independently and support multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and Outlook
- Certification in Contracts Management, such as CPCM or CFCM
- Experience with software licensing and development contracts
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 Teams
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Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
