Senior Manager, Vehicle Engineering (R4283)
Shield AI
Dallas, TX, USA
USD 193k-280k / year + Equity
Posted on Jan 8, 2026
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.
We are seeking an experienced Senior Manager of Vehicle Engineering to lead the design and development of scalable, high-quality software solutions for the VBAT and XBAT programs. In this role, you will define architectural standards, guide engineering teams, evaluate technologies, and ensure that our systems are robust, secure, and aligned with long-term business goals.
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
- Design and document end-to-end software architecture for complex aircraft and ground station systems.
- Collaborate with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
- Establish architecture guidelines, coding standards, and best practices across development teams.
- Evaluate and recommend tools, frameworks, and platforms that support product scalability and performance.
- Create architectural diagrams, system models, data flows, and integration patterns.
- Conduct technical reviews and provide mentorship to engineering teams to ensure architectural alignment.
- Lead prototyping efforts to validate new technologies and architectural approaches.
- Ensure security, compliance, and performance considerations are integrated into design decisions.
- Troubleshoot critical issues and guide teams in resolving architectural bottlenecks.
- Stay updated on emerging trends in software engineering, cloud technologies, and system design.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
- 10+ years of software development experience, with at least 3 years in a senior or architectural role.
- Strong expertise in one or more programming languages (e.g., Java, C++, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript).
- Proven experience designing aircraft software systems for both safety critical and secure applications
- Proficiency in CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and infrastructure-as-code tools.
- Excellent communication and documentation skills.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
- Background in high-availability, high-throughput systems.
- Knowledge of DOD reference architectures.
- Prior experience in leading cross-functional technical initiatives.
- Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking.
- Comfortable presenting technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Strategic mindset with a focus on long-term system sustainability.
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.
193000 - 280000 USD a year