Job Description:
Shield AI is seeking a highly driven and operationally focused Senior Sourcing Specialist to support our Hivemind programs through strategic supplier engagement, subcontract management, and cross-functional program execution. This role sits at the intersection of Supply Chain, Engineering, and Program Management and is responsible for managing complex supplier relationships and subcontracted engineering efforts critical to mission execution.This position requires a strong combination of sourcing expertise, subcontract management capability, program coordination, and stakeholder leadership. The ideal candidate thrives in fast-paced environments, is comfortable operating directly alongside engineering and program teams, and has experience managing suppliers performing statement-of-work (SOW)-based technical or engineering deliverables under various contract structures.This role requires up to 50% domestic travel to supplier sites and Shield AI program locations in support of Hivemind initiatives.
What You'll Do:
- Manage sourcing and subcontract management activities supporting Hivemind programs, including supplier selection, negotiations, contract execution, and ongoing supplier performance management.
- Partner closely with Engineering, Program Management, Legal, Finance, and Operations teams to develop and manage complex Statements of Work (SOWs), deliverables, milestones, schedules, acceptance criteria, and technical requirements.
- Manage subcontractors performing engineering, technical development, integration, manufacturing, or testing activities in support of Shield AI programs.
- Drive supplier execution through structured program management disciplines, including milestone tracking, risk identification, issue resolution, and performance reporting.
- Travel regularly to supplier and program sites to support supplier oversight, technical reviews, integration activities, production readiness, and program execution.
- Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, schedules, payment milestones, and contract structures to achieve program objectives while balancing cost, schedule, quality, and risk.
- Administer various contract types including fixed-price, time-and-materials, milestone-based, and cost-reimbursable agreements as applicable.
- Coordinate supplier onboarding, compliance reviews, and contracting activities in alignment with company policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Collaborate with technical teams to evaluate supplier capabilities, manufacturing readiness, engineering maturity, and execution risk.
- Maintain accurate procurement, subcontract, and supplier records within Deltek Costpoint and associated procurement systems.
- Support development and continuous improvement of sourcing, subcontract management, and supplier performance management processes.
- Escalate and resolve supplier performance, schedule, quality, or contractual issues while maintaining strong supplier relationships.
Required Qualifications:
- 5+ years of experience in sourcing, procurement, supply chain, subcontracts, supplier management, or program-facing procurement roles.
- Experience managing subcontractors or suppliers performing SOW-based engineering, technical development, manufacturing, or integration work.
- Demonstrated ability to operate cross-functionally with engineering and program leadership in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
- Experience negotiating commercial agreements, SOWs, pricing, schedules, deliverables, and contractual terms.
- Strong understanding of supplier performance management, milestone tracking, and program execution principles.
- Ability to travel domestically up to 50% in support of supplier and program activities.
- Strong organizational, analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.
- Experience working within ERP systems (Deltek Costpoint preferred).
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
- Ability to manage multiple complex priorities simultaneously with minimal oversight.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in aerospace, defense, autonomy, robotics, or high-technology industries.
- Familiarity with FAR/DFARS and defense subcontracting practices.
- Experience supporting development programs involving engineering services, software, hardware integration, or advanced manufacturing.
- Understanding of subcontract management within government-funded or defense-related programs.
- Experience working with milestone-based development efforts, technical reviews, or gated program execution models.
- Background supporting supplier readiness reviews, manufacturing readiness, or integration and test activities.
- PMP, CPSM, CSCP, or related certification is a plus.
Why This Role is Unique
- Opportunity to support major facility expansion projects as Shield AI continues to grow.
- Work closely with engineering, facilities, and leadership teams to help build the infrastructure supporting next-generation autonomous systems.
- Join a fast-growing company where procurement professionals can directly impact large-scale projects and operational growth.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of experience in sourcing, procurement, supply chain, subcontracts, supplier management, or program-facing procurement roles.
- Experience managing subcontractors or suppliers performing SOW-based engineering, technical development, manufacturing, or integration work.
- Demonstrated ability to operate cross-functionally with engineering and program leadership in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
- Experience negotiating commercial agreements, SOWs, pricing, schedules, deliverables, and contractual terms.
- Strong understanding of supplier performance management, milestone tracking, and program execution principles.
- Ability to travel domestically up to 50% in support of supplier and program activities.
- Strong organizational, analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.
- Experience working within ERP systems (experience with Deltek Costpoint preferred).
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
- Ability to manage multiple complex priorities simultaneously with minimal oversight.
- Experience administering fixed-price, time-and-materials, milestone-based, and cost-reimbursable contracts.
- Experience evaluating supplier capabilities, manufacturing readiness, engineering maturity, and execution risk.
- Experience negotiating pricing, commercial terms, schedules, payment milestones, and contract structures.
- Maintain accurate procurement, subcontract, and supplier records within ERP/procurement systems.
- Familiarity with FAR/DFARS and defense subcontracting practices.
- Experience in aerospace, defense, autonomy, robotics, or high-technology industries.
- Experience supporting development programs involving engineering services, software, hardware integration, or advanced manufacturing.
- Understanding of subcontract management within government-funded or defense-related programs.
- Experience with milestone-based development efforts, technical reviews, or gated program execution models.
- Background supporting supplier readiness reviews, manufacturing readiness, or integration and test activities.
- PMP, CPSM, CSCP, or related certification.
What the Team is Saying
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.
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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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
