Be an Early Applicant
Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
The Role
Lead manufacturing engineering for electrical and avionics systems from prototype to full-rate production. Develop processes, tooling, work instructions, and standards for wiring harnesses, PCBAs, batteries, sensors, and power systems. Drive DFM/DFA, root cause investigations, supplier qualification, production readiness, and continuous improvement while mentoring junior engineers and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
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.
We are seeking a highly skilled Staff Electrical Systems Advance Manufacturing Engineer to lead the development, integration, and production support of advanced electrical systems for complex aerospace and defense platforms. This role is responsible for driving manufacturability, production readiness, process development, root cause resolution, and continuous improvement across electrical assemblies and subsystems.
The ideal candidate has deep experience supporting low-rate to high-rate production environments involving avionics, wiring harnesses, PCBAs, power systems, batteries, sensors, and mission-critical electrical hardware.
What you'll do:
- Lead manufacturing engineering activities for electrical and avionics systems from prototype through full-rate production
- Develop and optimize manufacturing processes, tooling, work instructions, and production flows for:
- Wiring harnesses and EWIS
- PCB/PCBA assemblies
- Avionics systems
- Power distribution systems
- Batteries and energy storage systems
- Sensors and navigation systems
- Mission system integration
- Partner with design engineering to improve manufacturability, reliability, testability, and producibility
- Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions for electrical manufacturing issues
- Develop work instructions, quality standards, and inspection methods
- Support supplier qualification, process validation, and production readiness reviews
- Lead DFM/DFA reviews and transition new products into manufacturing
- Develop electrical assembly standards, inspection methods, and quality control processes
- Define manufacturing standards, process controls, and acceptance criteria
- Support failure analysis and reliability improvement initiatives
- Collaborate with production, quality, supply chain, and test engineering teams
- Mentor junior manufacturing engineers
Tools & skills:
- MES & QMS systems
- 3DEXPERIENCE / Teamcenter (PLM) systems
- Supplier manufacturing processes
- 5S/visual management
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Required qualifications:
- 7+ years of manufacturing engineering experience supporting complex electrical systems
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field
- Experience in prototype manufacturing in a startup or rapid-growth environment.
- Experience with:
- Wiring harness manufacturing
- EWIS standards
- PCB/PCBA manufacturing and assembly
- Electrical integration and troubleshooting
- Aerospace or defense electrical systems
- Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and adapt to changing priorities.
- Knowledge of manufacturing process development and production scaling
- Strong understanding of DFM/DFA principles
- Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies
Preferred qualifications:
- Aerospace or defense industry experience
- IPC certification familiarity (IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620)
- Experience supporting flight hardware or mission-critical systems
- Knowledge of automated test systems and electrical validation
- Experience with ERP/MES systems and manufacturing data analysis
- Strong project management skills, including experience managing multiple priorities and deadlines
- Knowledge of quality standards, such as AS9100 or ISO 9001
- Proficiency in CAD software
#LI-JM1
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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
- 7+ years manufacturing engineering experience supporting complex electrical systems
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field
- Experience in prototype manufacturing in a startup or rapid-growth environment
- Wiring harness manufacturing experience
- Knowledge of EWIS standards
- PCB/PCBA manufacturing and assembly experience
- Electrical integration and troubleshooting
- Experience with aerospace or defense electrical systems
- Knowledge of manufacturing process development and production scaling
- Strong understanding of DFM/DFA principles
- Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies
- Experience with MES and QMS systems
- Familiarity with 3DEXPERIENCE or Teamcenter (PLM) systems
- Familiarity with 5S / visual management and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Supplier manufacturing process knowledge
- Experience supporting flight hardware or mission-critical systems
- IPC certification familiarity (IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620)
- Knowledge of automated test systems and electrical validation
- Experience with ERP/MES systems and manufacturing data analysis
- Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple priorities
- Knowledge of quality standards such as AS9100 or ISO 9001
- Proficiency in CAD software
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
