Shield AI

Lead technical capture and presales support for Shield AI's aircraft and product suite, managing proposals, customer engagements, and cross-functional coordination. | 5+ years in technical presales or solutions engineering in defense/aerospace, experience with government requirements, strong technical knowledge of aircraft and defense systems, and excellent communication skills. | 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 aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With nine offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the 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. Role Description The Presales Solutions Engineer will provide technical expertise and support to customers prior to the sale of Shield AI Aircraft and other products. This role involves collaborating closely with customers to understand their requirements and demonstrating how our solutions can meet their needs. You will play a key role in ensuring successful product development throughout the presales process. The Solutions Engineer serves as a technical force multiplier for the Business Development (BD) team, providing expertise on Shield AI’s products and services to drive customer engagement, solution alignment, and successful deal capture. This role bridges the gap between our technology roadmap and our customers' operational needs. What you'll do: • Lead technical capture efforts for European opportunities, ensuring solutions are technically sound, feasible, and aligned with Shield AI’s product roadmap. Capture efforts will focus on Aircraft, but will require familiarity with the entire Shield AI Product suite. • Manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, including customer engagements, pre-sales technical support, proposal contributions, and solution development. • Develop and execute technical strategies that result in high-quality, compliant, and compelling proposals to maximize win probability. • Serve as the primary technical lead for BD engagements in Europe, interfacing cross-functionally with BD, BD Operations , Engineering, Operations, Program Management, and Product Management to ensure customer needs are met. • Manage technical content for proposals, requests for information (RFIs), white papers, and capability briefs, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and compliance. • Support BD and Account Executives by becoming a Subject Matter Expert in Shield AI products, providing technical expertise in customer engagements, capability briefings, and solution discussions to drive successful sales outcomes. • Act as a liaison between BD and Engineering, ensuring that new customer requests are technically feasible and align with product capabilities, timelines, and roadmaps. • Contribute to the technical documentation repository, maintaining capability briefs, specifications, FAQs, and other sales collateral for internal and external use. • Provide training and mentorship to BD teams on technical aspects of Shield AI’s solutions, enabling them to articulate our value proposition confidently. • Support competitive analysis and market intelligence, ensuring the BD team remains informed on industry trends and competitor capabilities. • Contribute to process improvement efforts, leveraging lessons learned from customer engagements to refine BD workflows and technical capture strategies. • Analyze the unique operational and environmental factors of the assigned region, producing high-impact white papers and briefs that inform the product roadmap and drive solutions aligned to customer mission needs. Required qualifications: • 5+ years of experience in technical presales, business development, or solutions engineering, preferably in defense, aerospace, AI-driven technology, or U.S. Federal/International government environments. • Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field. • Experience working with U.S. Federal or International government requirements. • Strong technical acumen in Aircraft, UAS, multispectral sensor systems, AI, autonomy, and defense technology (experience with V-BAT, Hivemind, and Vision Systems preferred). • Outstanding analytical and quantitative problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated aptitude for technical assessments and solution development. • Strong technical writing ability to author requests for information, abstracts, and quad charts. • Proven leadership experience in a work setting and/or through extracurricular activities. • Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, compelling messaging for both technical and non-technical stakeholders. • Ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional team environment and effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels of an organization. • Track record of high performance, including a demonstrated work ethic, reliability as a teammate, kindness, and commitment to high standards. • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, nontraditional defense contractor environment. Preferred qualifications: • Experience managing Foreign Military Sale and Direct Commercial Sale proposals. • Strong technical background especially with Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs). • Demonstrated thorough understanding and knowledge of the military operations and the acquisition process. • 3+ years of experience in an presales/solutions engineering role • 3+ years of experience working in a startup environment. • Demonstrated understanding of specific DoD operational scenarios and systems. • Active DoD security clearance.

Manage and prioritize special projects backlog and roadmap, coordinate capability transitions into SDK releases, lead demos, validate innovation opportunities, and align stakeholders. | 5+ years product management experience with strong technical background in robotics or autonomy, SDK experience, excellent communication, prototyping skills, and customer engagement. | 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 aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Boston, Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI's technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X and Instagram. Job Description: The Special Projects Product Manager will play a critical role in driving innovation within Shield AI's advanced technologies group. This position bridges early-stage exploration with core product development, ensuring that novel capabilities from Special Projects are strategically transitioned into the Hivemind SDK and effectively leveraged by customer-facing teams. The PM will serve as both a technical expert and strategic partner-shaping the roadmap, championing usability, and collaborating across engineering, enterprise product, and solutions. This is a high-impact role for a product leader passionate about autonomy, innovation, and transforming prototypes into enduring product value. What you'll do: • Manage and prioritize Special Projects backlog • Maintain and evolve Special Projects roadmap • Track Product Engineering roadmaps for integration opportunities • Coordinate capability transition into Hivemind SDK releases • Align with Hivemind Solutions on tactical and strategic needs • Track and escalate SDK usability issues to core PMs • Serve as expert user and demo leader for SDK • Serve as expert user and demo leader for Special Projects • Identify and validate new innovation opportunities • Drive rapid prototyping and proof-of-concept evaluations • Partner with engineering leads on technical feasibility assessments • Facilitate stakeholder communication and decision alignment • Collect customer/field feedback to refine innovation pipeline • Monitor industry trends and competitor innovation initiatives • Track success metrics for pilot projects and transitions Required qualifications: • 5+ years product management or innovation experience • Proven backlog and roadmap management expertise • Strong technical background in robotics or autonomy • Demonstrated experience with SDKs or developer platforms • Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills • Ability to synthesize feedback into actionable product direction • Skilled in rapid prototyping and early-stage validation • Hands-on experience with product demos and customer engagement Preferred qualifications: • Experience in defense, aerospace, or autonomous systems • Familiarity with Hivemind SDK or comparable autonomy frameworks • Strong user empathy and usability problem-solving skills • Track record of innovation-to-productization success • MBA or advanced degree in engineering/CS/related field • Prior experience supporting both product and customer delivery teams • Skilled at competitive analysis and market trend monitoring • Comfortable with ambiguity and fast-changing priorities $190,000 - $290,000 a year #LI-DM2 #LE 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. ### 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. Apply for this job

Lead and mentor a team developing navigation and state estimation solutions for autonomous aerial systems, architecting software and collaborating cross-functionally for validation and integration. | 10+ years experience with strong C++ software engineering, expertise in state estimation and sensor fusion, leadership experience, and delivering autonomy software for robotics or aerospace platforms. | 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 aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Boston, Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X and Instagram. Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy team is building an SDK that enables resilient, assured navigation solutions for autonomous systems operating in contested environments. We are looking for a hands-on technical leader to manage and grow our Navigation and State Estimation team. You'll lead a team of 6+ engineers developing state-of-the-art algorithms for GPS-denied navigation, fusing your expertise in state estimation, PNT technologies, and C++ software development to deliver high-impact autonomy capabilities. What You'll Do: • Lead and mentor a high-performing team delivering robust navigation and state estimation solutions for autonomous aerial systems. • Drive the technical roadmap, balancing near-term deliveries with long-term innovation. • Architect and review solutions in state estimation, sensor fusion, inertial and vision-aided navigation. • Maintain high standards of C++ software quality, system validation, and integration performance. • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful simulation, HITL, and flight test validation. • Support hiring, team growth, career development, and external technical representation. Required Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent work experience), typically with a minimum of 10 years of related experience; 9 years with a master’s degree; or 7 years with a PhD. • Expertise in modern C++ (C++11 or newer) with a strong software engineering foundation. • Experience deploying state estimation solution on physical systems in real-world environments • Deep knowledge of Kalman filtering, graph optimization, sensor fusion, and inertial navigation systems. • Demonstrated success leading engineering projects or small technical teams. • Experience delivering autonomy software for robotics, aerospace, or defense platforms. Preferred Qualifications: • Experience with VIO, SLAM, factor graph optimization (gtsam, Ceres) for GPS-denied navigation. • Background in sensor integration (IMU, GPS, magnetometers, barometers, visual sensors). • Familiarity with DoD program requirements, operational testing, and autonomy system assurance. • Prior experience managing cross-disciplinary teams in agile environments. Additional Information: • Candidates may complete a technical evaluation, including a design and coding review, as part of the interview process. #LI-ED1 #LD 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. ### 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.

null | Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Boston, Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn,X, YouTubeand Instagram. Job Description: Shield AI is seeking a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer with deep expertise in mechanism design to support the development of our next-generation autonomous UAV platform. In this high-ownership role, you will lead the architecture, design, and development of precision mechanical systems and actuation mechanisms that are critical to mission success. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to create rugged, lightweight, and manufacturable mechanisms-ranging from landing gear to deployable payload systems-while delivering high performance in dynamic and harsh environments. This is an opportunity to design at the edge of innovation and autonomy, with real-world impact. \n What you'll do: Design complex electro-mechanical mechanisms for autonomous aircraft Own the full design process: concept, CAD, tolerance analysis, material selection, and drawing release Perform structural and kinematic calculations and preliminary FEA Prototype, test, and iterate mechanism designs for functionality and reliability Collaborate with electrical, avionics, flight controls, and propulsion teams Mentor junior engineers and promote engineering excellence Support pre-production builds, prototype integration, and ground/flight testing Required qualifications: B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering 10+ years in mechanical or mechanism design Strong CAD skills (NX preferred) Kinematic analysis and optimization Structural analysis utilizing hand calculations and finite element methods FEA analysis: Modal, non-linear and linear, buckling, fatigue GD&T and tolerance stack-ups for mechanical systems Materials selection inclusive of alloys, heat treatments, allowables, and finishes Ability to work independently and lead in fast-paced, cross-functional teams A demonstrated record of working hard, being trustworthy, holding yourself to high standards, and being kind to others Preferred qualifications: Experience with UAVs, aircraft, or robotic systems Familiarity with electro-mechanical actuators Proficiency in FMEA, DOE, and root cause analysis Hands-on machine shop or mechanic experience (professional or hobby) RTCA DO-160, structural, or actuated mechanism testing experience Ability to thrive in startup, R&D, or defense innovation environments \n $193,578 - $290,368 biweekly \n #LI-JW2 #LF 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. ### 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.