Director, Solutions Engineering (R4159)
Shield AI
San Diego, CA, USA
USD 170k-260k / year + Equity
Posted on Nov 23, 2025
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 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.
Job Description:
Shield AI is hiring a Director of Solutions Engineering – X-BAT to lead the technical capture and early-phase customer engagement strategy for one of the company’s most ambitious aircraft programs. The Director will serve as the senior technical counterpart to business development leadership, responsible for guiding concept definition, requirement shaping, and system alignment across domestic and international defense markets.
This role requires a leader with deep experience in tactical aviation systems, government engagement, and multi-domain operations. The Director will interface directly with senior DoD officials, international partners, and Shield AI’s internal program leadership to ensure that X-BAT’s evolving design, capability roadmap, and mission alignment remain synchronized with both customer needs and company strategy.
What you'll do:
- Lead technical capture and solution strategy for the X-BAT aircraft program across U.S. and international defense opportunities.
- Collaborate with Business Development, Program Management, and Engineering teams to translate customer needs into clear design intent and program priorities.
- Shape and interpret early acquisition activities (RFIs, AOAs, draft RFPs, white papers) into actionable system concepts and campaign strategies.
- Drive alignment between customer CONOPS, technical architecture, and program execution, ensuring what is promised can be delivered within the vehicle roadmap.
- Develop and deliver technical narratives, proposals, and executive-level briefings that clearly articulate X-BAT’s mission relevance and technical advantage.
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with DoD and international defense stakeholders, representing X-BAT as the authoritative technical voice during early capture.
- Support competitive analysis, investment prioritization, and solution differentiation across evolving international campaigns.
- Work closely with the X-BAT program office to ensure sales commitments, technical baselines, and engineering execution remain aligned.
- Mentor junior solutions engineers and help establish a scalable, technically rigorous sales engineering function as program demand grows.
- Represent the full Shield AI autonomy ecosystem — including Hivemind, AI Pilot, ISR payloads, and mission software — as part of integrated campaign solutions.
Required qualifications:
- 15+ years of experience in aerospace or defense technical capture, systems engineering, or business development roles.
- Demonstrated ability to shape early capture pursuits and align solution concepts with long-term program strategy.
- Proven success interfacing between technical program teams and customer-facing business development organizations.
- Deep understanding of tactical aviation or Group 5 UAS systems, including mission tradeoffs and operational design drivers.
- Strong systems-level engineering perspective with the ability to translate operational concepts into actionable architectures.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for both technical and executive audiences.
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, applied science, or related field (advanced degree preferred).
- Active or eligible U.S. security clearance.
- Demonstrated ability to lead in fast-paced, ambiguous environments requiring cross-functional coordination and executive judgment.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience with advanced programs, autonomous systems, or tactical aircraft development at a defense prime or leading aerospace firm.
- Background in autonomy, electronic warfare, or networked ISR architectures.
- Familiarity with Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), CCA, and allied export/FMS pathways.
- Prior military aviation or acquisition experience.
- Advanced degree in engineering, business, or systems management.
- Willingness to relocate or travel frequently to Dallas, TX or Washington, D.C
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.
170000 - 260000 USD a year