Staff Engineer, Flight Test (R5006)

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 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.  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. ### 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.  country: US all locations: [Wichita Metro Area] commitment: Full Time Employee department: Aircraft Operations Division location: Wichita Metro Area team: Customer Operations What you'll do:: Develop, publish, and execute comprehensive flight test plans, procedures, cards, risk assessments, safety, and readiness reviews  Support integration and test of aircraft systems, payloads, comms/data links, software, ground control systems, and mission equipment  Lead and coordinate pre-flight, flight, and post-flight activities, including system configuration, instrumentation, telemetry, data collection and test reports  Analyze ground and flight test data to identify performance trends, anomalies, root causes, and corrective actions  Coordinate with engineering teams to validate requirements, troubleshoot issues, and mature system capabilities  Lead or participate in test range operations, safety briefings, go/no-go decisions, and test setup and logistics   Document test results, lessons learned, anomalies, and recommendations in clear technical reports  Support aircraft maintenance, configuration control, and system readiness  Create and improve flight test processes, tools, data workflows, and operational efficiency  Create and maintain ground and air operating limitations requirements   Travel to test sites, customer locations, and field exercises as required  Required qualifications:: Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM Degree)  5-10 years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned/manned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering  Strong understanding of aircraft systems, flight dynamics, avionics, telemetry, sensors, or control systems   Proven ability to write and execute structured test plans, procedures, and reports  Strong troubleshooting skills in field and/or lab environments  Excellent communication skills and ability to work across engineering and operations teams  Willingness to travel and work outdoors, fields, or test range environments  Overtime and weekend coverage as required  Preferred qualifications:: 10+ years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering  Experience in Group 4-5 UAS and/or fighter type capability or similar weapons systems  Familiarity with FAA, DoW, and test range flight operations  Experience with autonomy, navigation, mission planning, and Command-and-Control (C2) systems  Hands-on experience with aircraft maintenance, avionics integration, payload integration, and ground support equipment   Experience with telemetry systems, flight and data logs, sensor data, datalinks, and RF systems  Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or crewed aviation experience  Proven Mission Control Room experience using Integrated Analysis & Data System (IADS) or similar development FTI display system   Experience leading or supporting developmental flight test campaigns from design through planning and execution to include reporting  Ideal Candidate: The ideal candidate is practical, detail-oriented engineer who is comfortable in control rooms, hangar/maintenance areas, and office type environments. You can write a detailed test plan, troubleshoot hardware and software at a test site, analyze flight data, and communicate clearly under operational pressure. You are safety-minded, have high technical acumen, and motivated by building and validating advanced and complex aircraft systems