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Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
The Role
Lead manufacturing engineering for ground vehicle systems, develop and optimize processes, tooling, work instructions, and production flows for chassis, suspension, driveline, hydraulics/pneumatics, and trailers. Support integration, testing, supplier qualification, DFM/DFA, root cause analysis, production readiness, and mentor junior engineers while collaborating across production, quality, supply chain, and test 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 Staff Ground Vehicle Advance uyoiypoiManufacturing Engineer to support the development and production of advanced ground mobility and vehicle systems. This role focuses on mechanical and integrated systems including chassis, suspension, braking, hydraulics, pneumatics, and mobility platforms.
The ideal candidate has strong experience in automotive, heavy vehicle, or defense vehicle manufacturing environments and is comfortable supporting both prototype and production operations.
What you'll do:
- Lead manufacturing engineering activities for vehicle and mobility systems
- Develop and optimize manufacturing processes, tooling, work instructions, and production flows for:
- Chassis and structural assemblies
- Suspension and braking systems
- Wheels, axles, and driveline components
- Hydraulic and pneumatic systems
- Trailer and mobility platforms
- Support vehicle integration, testing, and production readiness activities
- Partner with design engineering to improve manufacturability, reliability, testability, and producibility
- Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions for 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
- 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 in automotive, mobility, heavy equipment, or defense vehicle systems
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or related field
- Experience in prototype manufacturing in a startup or rapid-growth environment.
- Experience with:
- Vehicle integration and assembly
- Hydraulics and pneumatics
- Chassis and braking systems
- Mechanical production 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:
- Automotive OEM, defense vehicle, or off-road vehicle experience
- Experience supporting prototype-to-production transitions
- Knowledge of welding, fabrication, and structural assembly processes
- Familiarity with lean manufacturing and production optimization
- 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
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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 in automotive, mobility, heavy equipment, or defense vehicle systems
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Automotive Engineering, or related field
- Experience in prototype manufacturing in a startup or rapid-growth environment
- Experience with vehicle integration and assembly
- Experience with hydraulics and pneumatics
- Experience with chassis and braking systems
- Experience with mechanical production 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
- Experience with MES & QMS systems
- Experience with 3DEXPERIENCE / Teamcenter (PLM) systems
- Familiarity with supplier manufacturing processes, 5S/visual management, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Automotive OEM, defense vehicle, or off-road vehicle experience
- Experience supporting prototype-to-production transitions
- Knowledge of welding, fabrication, and structural assembly processes
- Familiarity with lean manufacturing and production optimization
- Experience with ERP/MES systems and manufacturing data analysis
- Strong project management skills, including managing multiple priorities and deadlines
- 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
