Senior Systems Engineer; R5962

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).

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As a Senior Systems Engineer on Shield AI’s next gen UAS program, you will play a pivotal role in designing, developing, and integrating cutting-edge autonomous aircraft systems for national defense. You will lead the technical execution of system architecture, ensuring seamless integration of avionics, autonomy, propulsion, sensor payloads, and mission-critical systems.

This position requires a deep understanding of aerospace systems engineering, autonomy, and complex system integration. You will work cross-functionally with teams in hardware, software, autonomy, flight operations, and manufacturing to develop a scalable, mission-ready platform capable of operating in contested environments.

Your expertise will be critical in defining system requirements and architectures through model-based systems engineering, conducting trade studies, ensuring compliance with military and aviation standards, and supporting the aircraft through flight testing and operational deployment.

• Perform System Architecture & Design:
  Develop and refine the system architecture for the next gen UAS, ensuring seamless integration of avionics, autonomy, propulsion, sensor payloads, and mission systems.
• Define and document system-level behavior, including modes, states, transitions, and fault responses
• Support safety analyses (FHA, FMEA, FTA) by defining behavior under fault conditions
• Define and Manage System Requirements:
  Establish top-level requirements, decompose them into subsystems, and maintain traceability across the development lifecycle.
• Autonomy & AI Integration:
  Work closely with autonomy and software teams to integrate AI-driven flight control, decision-making, and mission execution capabilities.
• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE):
  Utilize SysML, DOORS, or other MBSE tools to create digital system models, conduct trade studies, and optimize system performance.
• Risk Management & Trade Studies:
  Conduct trade studies to evaluate design alternatives, assess technical risks, and ensure the best engineering solutions for mission effectiveness.
• Stakeholder & Customer Engagement:
  Work closely with DoD stakeholders, industry partners, and government agencies to align system capabilities with operational requirements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  
  Partner with hardware, autonomy, software, propulsion, and flight operations teams to drive seamless system integration and rapid development cycles.

• 5+ years of experience in systems engineering for aerospace, defense, or autonomous aircraft systems.
• Demonstrated experience defining system behavior logic and operational modes
• Deep expertise in system architecture, avionics integration, and autonomy-driven flight systems.
• Proficiency in MBSE, DOORS, SysML, CAMEO, or similar system modeling tools for complex systems design and analysis.
• Experience with Group 4 or Group 5 UAS, military aircraft, or autonomous airborne platforms.
• Strong background in flight testing, system integration, and performance validation.
• Knowledge of DoD acquisition processes, MIL-STDs, FAA airworthiness certification, and airborne system safety standards.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive complex projects to…