Technical Program Manager (R3416)
Shield AI
IT, Operations
Australia
Posted on May 6, 2025
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent, autonomous systems. Its products include Hivemind Enterprise—EdgeOS, Pilot, Commander, and Forge—as well as V-BAT and Sentient Vision Systems (wide-area motion imaging software). With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., 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 is seeking a Technical Program Manager, based in our Melbourne office, to lead the development, integration, and deployment of the World’s Best AI Pilots across a range of transformative unmanned vehicles. This fast-paced, high-impact role is central to expanding Shield AI’s presence in Australia and advancing strategic initiatives at the organizational level. It offers hands-on involvement in flight test operations and direct customer engagement.
What You'll Do
- Ensure all programelements are flawlessly and decisively executed.
- Drive development and ongoing execution of projects (scope, schedule, resourcing, cost, milestones, technical development) astutely re-balancing priorities as the life cycle progresses.
- Deliver exceptionaland reliable outcomes through all programphases: Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring, Closure.
- Deliver exceptional and reliable outcomes against customer and end-user needs.
- Fulfill contractually required deliverables in a timely and accurate manner.
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with a broad range of domestic and international stakeholders: leadership, teammates, customers, key partners, and suppliers.
- Operate and make decisions that reflect cultural nuances and overarching political and/or military factors.
- Track and report program health metrics: budget, resource, performance.
- Run organized, decisive, and efficient meetings, including preparation and follow up activities.
- Complete critical path analyses.
- Identify, anticipate, and mitigate risks and blockers.
- Drive efforts to achieve and accelerate execution.
- Support business development efforts, including requests for tender, proposal, or information, expressions of interest, and unsolicited offers.
Required Qualifications
- 4-6 years of experience as a technical program manager and/or technical decision-maker with a bachelor’s degree in Engineering or similar.
- Proven experience driving execution across multiple complex projects in support of long-term business objectives.
- Proven experience driving sophisticated engineering solutions from 0->1.
- Expert understanding of complex project financials.
- Experience with: Earned Value, Gate Reviews, Estimates at Completion, Projectand Program Management Reviews, Contract Data Requirements Lists.
- Experience with project management and project finance tools, e.g. Microsoft Project, Smartsheets, Timelines, Vena, Salesforce.
- Demonstrated record of working hard, being a trustworthy teammate, holding yourself and others to high standards, and being kind to others.
- Exceptional skills in leadership, time management, organization, team management.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to lead by influence and collaboration.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication.
- Excellence in the Microsoft Office Suite.
- Experience with Australian Defence Force.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in software development.
- Experience in autonomy development.
- Experience with Australian Defence and the ASDEFCON template suite.
- Experience with international armed services.
- Experience managing multi-national program teams.
- Experience managing and executing flight-test campaigns.
- Experience with airworthiness certification.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM).
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.