Be an Early Applicant
Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
The Role
Drive supplier performance and quality for aerospace components through on-site audits, root cause analysis, supplier capability development, process improvements, risk mitigation, performance monitoring, and supporting new product introductions to meet cost, delivery, and quality targets.
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 and motivated Supplier Development Engineer to join Shield AI. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in supplier development, quality engineering, production process improvement, and supply chain management within the aerospace industry. This role is critical in enhancing supplier performance by solving supplier challenges that impact quality/on-time delivery/scaling, supporting the onboarding of suppliers to new designs, and delivering on our mission to deliver affordable and autonomous mass at scale.
What you'll do:
- Process Improvement: Audit and embed into core supplier processes to understand improvement opportunities to cost, lead-times, and quality
- Quality Assurance: Conduct on-site audits to root cause supplier quality issues or performance challenges
- Supplier Development: Assess and improve supplier capabilities, ensuring alignment with engineering and operational priorities.
- Engineering Technical Support: Provide technical guidance to suppliers on part specifications, manufacturing processes and standards, and quality measures
- Supplier Performance Monitoring: Track and analyze supplier performance metrics, including delivery, quality, and cost. Implement corrective actions and continuous improvement plans as necessary.
- Risk Management: Identify and mitigate risks within the supply chain to ensure uninterrupted production and delivery of components
- New Product Introduction (NPI): Support the introduction of new products by ensuring suppliers meet all quality and delivery requirements during the development phase
Required qualifications:
- 7+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment and/or manufacturing engineering role
- Depending on commodity expertise:
- Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA) and ability to analyze and explain 2D drawings
- Proficiency in electrical CAD tools and interpretation of schematics and PCB drawings
- M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent.
- Problem solving skills including root cause investigation and failure analysis
- Ability to travel to domestic and international suppliers ~50%+ of time
Our international teammates receive a comprehensive total rewards package aligned to your country office location. For full details on compensation and benefits, please consult your talent acquisition partner.
Skills Required
- 7+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment and/or manufacturing engineering role
- Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA) and ability to analyze and explain 2D drawings
- Proficiency in electrical CAD tools and interpretation of schematics and PCB drawings
- M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent
- Problem solving skills including root cause investigation and failure analysis
- Ability to travel to domestic and international suppliers ~50%+ of time
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.
Shield AI Insights
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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.
Gallery
Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Typical time on-site:
3 days a week
