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Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
The Role
Senior individual-contributor responsible for end-to-end ownership of on-prem and cloud infrastructure, identity and endpoint management, security and compliance, backup/DR and monitoring, and hands-on support for engineering teams in a controlled, security-sensitive environment.
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.
AI Hive is seeking a highly autonomous Staff Systems Administrator to serve as the technical owner of enterprise IT infrastructure within a dedicated operational environment.
This is a senior individual contributor role responsible for end-to-end infrastructure ownership — spanning on-premises systems, cloud platforms, endpoint environments, identity services, and local engineering support. The Staff Systems Administrator operates with significant independence, defining priorities, executing improvements, and ensuring operational resilience with minimal oversight.
This role requires a self-starter who can design, implement, support, and continuously improve infrastructure in a secure, performance-driven environment while also maintaining hands-on ownership of end-user systems and service delivery.
You will function as the accountable infrastructure lead for your environment, ensuring it remains secure, compliant, scalable, and highly available — while continuing to deliver responsive support to engineering and business teams.
This role is based in India and supports the AI Hive entity.
This is a senior individual contributor role responsible for end-to-end infrastructure ownership — spanning on-premises systems, cloud platforms, endpoint environments, identity services, and local engineering support. The Staff Systems Administrator operates with significant independence, defining priorities, executing improvements, and ensuring operational resilience with minimal oversight.
This role requires a self-starter who can design, implement, support, and continuously improve infrastructure in a secure, performance-driven environment while also maintaining hands-on ownership of end-user systems and service delivery.
You will function as the accountable infrastructure lead for your environment, ensuring it remains secure, compliant, scalable, and highly available — while continuing to deliver responsive support to engineering and business teams.
This role is based in India and supports the AI Hive entity.
What you'll do:
- Own and operate on-premises and cloud infrastructure, including servers, virtualization, storage, identity platforms, and core enterprise services.
- Administer Azure/AWS environments, ensuring availability, performance, monitoring, backup, and disaster recovery readiness.
- Maintain secure system configurations, patching, vulnerability remediation, and infrastructure hardening.
- Operate effectively within a controlled, security-sensitive environment with segmented systems and defined access boundaries.
- Identify risks and independently drive modernization, scalability, and resilience improvements.
- Administer Active Directory and Entra ID (Azure AD), enforcing role-based access and secure configuration standards.
- Ensure compliance with internal controls, documentation requirements, and audit readiness expectations.
- Own IT asset lifecycle management, vendor coordination, licensing oversight, and operational reporting.
- Contribute infrastructure patterns and operational standards that can scale across similar environments.
- Provide hands-on support across Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints, including advanced troubleshooting and escalation management.
- Lead onboarding and offboarding processes, including device provisioning, access configuration, and endpoint compliance validation.
- Support engineering systems, lab environments, and secure connectivity needs.
- Remove operational IT friction so engineers and business teams remain focused on mission delivery.
Infrastructure Ownership (On-Prem & Cloud):
Identity, Security & Operational Excellence:
End-User & Engineering Support:
Required qualifications:
- 12+ years of experience in systems administration, enterprise IT operations, or infrastructure engineering.
- Demonstrated experience independently owning and operating IT infrastructure in complex environments.
- Strong hands-on expertise across:
- Windows, macOS, and Linux systems
- Server administration and virtualization
- Cloud platforms (Azure and/or AWS)
- Identity platforms (Active Directory, Azure AD / Entra ID)
- Experience managing infrastructure in segmented, regulated, or security-sensitive environments.
- Strong networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN, firewall concepts).
- Experience with endpoint management platforms (Intune, Jamf, or equivalent).
- Experience implementing backup, disaster recovery, and monitoring solutions.
- Strong documentation discipline and operational rigor.
- Proven ability to work with minimal supervision and drive outcomes independently.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience supporting engineering, R&D, or defense-oriented teams.
- Experience operating in startup or high-growth environments.
- Familiarity with DevOps tooling (Azure DevOps, GitHub, CI/CD environments).
- Scripting or automation experience (PowerShell, Bash, Python).
- Experience supporting air-gapped or isolated infrastructure environments.
- ITIL knowledge or certifications.
- Relevant industry certifications (Microsoft, AWS, VMware, CompTIA, etc.).
#LI-LD2
#LD
Total package details for U.S. based positions:
- Regular employee positions: Salary within range listed above + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
- Temporary employee positions: Hourly within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days
of employment)
- Interns/Military Fellows/Part-time not eligible for bonus, benefits or equity
Total package details for International positions which are roles based outside of the United States (where applicable):
- International premium, hardship differential, cost of living differential, living quarters allowance, foreign service transfer
allowance, equity, international benefits, visa assistance, and relocation assistance.
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.
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
- 12+ years of experience in systems administration, enterprise IT operations, or infrastructure engineering.
- Proven experience independently owning and operating IT infrastructure in complex environments.
- Hands-on expertise with Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints.
- Server administration and virtualization experience.
- Experience with cloud platforms (Azure and/or AWS).
- Experience with identity platforms (Active Directory, Azure AD / Entra ID).
- Experience managing infrastructure in segmented, regulated, or security-sensitive environments.
- Strong networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN, firewall concepts).
- Experience with endpoint management platforms (Intune, Jamf, or equivalent).
- Experience implementing backup, disaster recovery, and monitoring solutions.
- Strong documentation discipline and operational rigor.
- Proven ability to work with minimal supervision and drive outcomes independently.
- Experience supporting engineering, R&D, or defense-oriented teams.
- Experience operating in startup or high-growth environments.
- Familiarity with DevOps tooling (Azure DevOps, GitHub, CI/CD environments).
- Scripting or automation experience (PowerShell, Bash, Python).
- Experience supporting air-gapped or isolated infrastructure environments.
- ITIL knowledge or certifications.
- Relevant industry certifications (Microsoft, AWS, VMware, CompTIA, etc.).
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
