Staff Engineer, Digital Factory Lead (R5265

Digital Factory Lead

Shield AI is building an entirely new approach to aerospace manufacturing—one where software, automation, data, and artificial intelligence are embedded directly into the factory.

We are seeking a Digital Factory Lead to help architect and deploy the digital foundation that will power the next generation of autonomous aircraft production. This is a high-impact leadership role at the intersection of manufacturing, software, industrial automation, data, and AI.

You will own key elements of Shield AI's Digital Factory strategy, from implementing Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and connecting factory equipment to deploying AI-enabled tools that improve productivity, quality, traceability, and decision-making.

This is an opportunity to help define not only how Shield AI manufactures aircraft today, but how high-rate, intelligent, and increasingly autonomous aerospace manufacturing operates for years to come.

• Develop and execute Shield AI's Digital Factory roadmap, aligning technology investments with manufacturing, quality, cost, delivery, and scalability objectives.
• Define the digital architecture required to support a rapidly scaling aerospace manufacturing operation.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives spanning manufacturing engineering, software, data, automation, quality, supply chain, IT, and operations.
• Translate manufacturing challenges into scalable digital and technology solutions.
• Establish standards, processes, and governance for factory digitalization and connected manufacturing.
• Build business cases, evaluate technology investments, and drive initiatives from concept through production deployment.

• Develop and execute an AI Manufacturing strategy focused on measurable improvements in production, quality, maintenance, supply chain, training, and operational decision-making.
• Identify high-value opportunities for AI, machine learning, advanced analytics, and automation across factory operations.
• Deploy AI-enabled capabilities such as intelligent work instructions, manufacturing copilots, predictive maintenance, automated root-cause analysis, anomaly detection, and production analytics.
• Partner with software, data science, and engineering teams to transform manufacturing data into production-ready AI solutions.
• Capture and digitize manufacturing knowledge to improve workforce productivity, training, consistency, and knowledge retention.
• Establish the data infrastructure and operational feedback loops necessary to continuously improve AI-enabled manufacturing systems.

• Lead the implementation, configuration, integration, and continuous improvement of Shield AI's Manufacturing Execution System (MES).
• Establish a connected digital thread across engineering, manufacturing, quality, maintenance, supply chain, and production operations.
• Drive integration between MES, ERP, PLM, QMS, maintenance systems, factory automation, test equipment, and manufacturing assets.
• Define manufacturing data standards, interfaces, workflows, and system requirements.
• Improve production traceability, real-time visibility, production reporting, and operational decision-making through connected systems.
• Partner with system integrators and software teams to ensure solutions are scalable, reliable, secure, and production-ready.

• Define and deploy the digital architecture connecting production equipment, tooling, test systems, PLCs, sensors, machines, and industrial controls.
• Establish factory-wide connectivity and real-time visibility into equipment and production performance.
• Develop the data ecosystem required to support analytics, AI, automation, predictive maintenance, and future autonomous manufacturing capabilities.
• Partner with controls and automation engineers to integrate industrial systems with enterprise and manufacturing software platforms.
• Establish standards for equipment connectivity, data collection, system interoperability, and digital infrastructure.
• Identify opportunities to improve equipment utilization, throughput, reliability, and overall equipment effectiveness through connected technologies.

• Lead digital transformation initiatives across manufacturing, inspection, testing, material flow, and production support operations.
• Evaluate and deploy emerging technologies including machine vision, digital twins, autonomous inspection, robotics, advanced analytics, and next-generation manufacturing systems.
• Identify opportunities to eliminate manual processes, reduce manufacturing variability, and improve production scalability.
• Develop and track KPIs demonstrating the operational impact of digital factory investments.
• Support greenfield manufacturing initiatives and the development of future production lines.
• Help define the technology, systems, and processes required to support increasingly automated and autonomous aircraft manufacturing.