Staff Engineer, Mission Systems (Avionics & Sensor Integration) (R4015)
Shield AI
Dallas, TX, USA
USD 150k-225k / year + Equity
Posted on Dec 18, 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:
As a Staff Mission Systems Engineer, you will take a leading, hands-on role in the integration of avionics, sensors, and mission payloads onto the V-BAT and our next-generation aircraft. You will be expected to execute independently, drive technical decision-making, and define standards that raise the bar for the entire Mission Systems Engineering team.
We’re looking for deeply experienced engineers with strong hardware + software integration skills—people who can architect systems, troubleshoot the hardest problems, rapidly prototype 0→1 solutions, and deliver reliable capabilities into real-world field use with minimal oversight.
In this role, you will be a hands-on technical leader, owning the full lifecycle of mission and avionics systems—from concept through flight testing and deployment—while improving the tools, processes, and engineering rigor that enable the team to be more effective and efficient. Help us save lives as we strive to deliver the most highly reliable aerospace hardware in the industry.
What you'll do:
- Architect, design, integrate, and validate avionics and mission sensors and payloads for V-BAT —from concept through production & deployment
- Work directly with operators, mission SMEs, and internal stakeholders to understand user needs and prioritize system features and capabilities.
- Drive 0→1 development: take loosely defined mission problems, propose solutions, prototype quickly, iterate with flight test data, and mature systems into production-ready capabilities.
- Lead cross functional development: mechanical & electrical design, firmware/embedded interfaces, data paths, networking, and onboard software integration.
- Debug and root-cause complex hardware, software, and integration failures throughout development and flight operations.
- Lead hands-on bring-up, lab testing, HIL testing, and flight test preparation.
- Support flight operations with real-time troubleshooting, anomaly resolution, and post-mission data analysis.
- Use Python, MATLAB, or similar tools to analyze logs, automate tests, and drive informed design decisions.
- Collaborate with Mechanical, Electrical, Software, Flight Test, and Manufacturing to deliver reliable and maintainable avionics systems.
- Drive continuous design improvement to increase reliability, robustness, and mission performance.
Required qualifications:
- 8+ years engineering experience with electrical system design, integration, testing, debug, and repair
- Demonstrated ability to independently own and deliver complex system integrations with minimal guidance.
- Expert-level proficiency with schematics, wiring/harness design, test equipment, and hands-on HW/SW debugging.
- Proven experience taking systems from 0→1 and into fielded operational use.
- Strong track record of establishing technical standards, improving processes, and elevating the performance of engineering teams.
- Demonstrated leadership through technical execution, not just oversight—operating as a go-to problem solver on high-impact challenges.
- Record of working hard, being a trustworthy teammate, holding yourself and others to high standards, and being kind to others.
Preferred qualifications:
- Ownership of major avionics, payload, or mission systems from architecture through field deployment.
- Experience leading field testing, flight line operations, or hardware-in-the-loop environments.
- Experience building or improving internal engineering processes, documentation frameworks, or testing standards.
- Track record of solving ambiguous, first-of-kind engineering problems with hands-on innovation.
- Active Secret Clearance (or ability to obtain one).
#LI-SM1
#LC
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.
150000 - 225000 USD a year