Senior Director, Product Management
Shield AI
Product
Washington, DC, USA
Posted on May 24, 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.
Job Description:
Shield AI is building the world’s best AI pilots for aircraft—and we’re looking for a Senior Director of Product Management to lead the strategy, execution, and roadmap for our core autonomous systems and platforms.
In this high-impact role, you’ll work across engineering, design, ops, BD, and leadership to deliver mission-critical products that drive real-world results. You’ll bring clarity, speed, and alignment to complex programs—balancing near-term delivery with long-term innovation.
We want a product leader who thinks big, executes fast, and thrives in high-stakes environments. If you’re driven by impact and ready to help shape the future of autonomous defense, we’d love to meet you.
At Shield AI, you won’t just lead products. You’ll help define the next era of autonomy.
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
- Product Strategy and Vision: Define and communicate a compelling product vision aligned with Shield AI’s mission and long-term growth objectives. Translate strategic goals into executable product roadmaps that guide cross-functional development and investment decisions.
- Roadmap Development and Execution: Own the end-to-end product lifecycle; from concept and requirements definition through delivery and sustainment. Prioritize features and capabilities based on customer needs, operational impact, technical feasibility, and business goals. Ensure timely delivery of high-quality, mission-critical capabilities.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner closely with Engineering, Solutions Architecture, Program Management, and Business Development to ensure product priorities are aligned, well-scoped, and executable. Build trusted relationships across teams to drive focus, decision-making, and accountability.
- Customer and Market Engagement: Serve as the voice of the customer within the organization. Gather direct feedback from field users, military operators, and international partners to inform product decisions. Represent Shield AI in customer discussions, demos, and briefings as a senior product expert.
- Team Leadership and Development: Lead and grow a team of high-performing product managers. Foster a culture of ownership, agility, technical curiosity, and continuous improvement. Mentor team members in strategic thinking, product execution, and customer-centric innovation.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Establish key product performance metrics and use data to drive prioritization, product performance assessments, and iteration. Identify opportunities for continuous improvement through qualitative and quantitative feedback loops.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
- 12+ years of experience in product management, including 5+ years in a senior leadership role.
- Proven success in leading hardware/software product lines through multiple lifecycle stages, from concept to fielded capability.
- Deep experience in autonomy, robotics, aerospace/defense, or other mission-critical technologies.
- Strong strategic thinking and business acumen with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; able to convey complex ideas to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Self-starter with a track record of operating effectively in ambiguity and aligning diverse stakeholders toward a common goal.
- Eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret clearance.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master’s degree in a technical or business discipline.
- Experience delivering dual-use or defense technologies to U.S. or allied government customers.
- Familiarity with program management disciplines, government contracting, and product-market fit in regulated environments.
- Passion for building mission-driven technology that saves lives and redefines what’s possible through autonomy.
#LI-AC1
#LG
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.