Senior Staff Engineer, Test Director (R5445)

Shield AI
San Diego, Washington
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeUSD 170,000 - 250,000 annuallyFunction: Executive & General ManagementExperience: 7+ yearsEducation: bachelorsSkills: ["Cross-functional collaboration","Communication","Organization","Methodical approach","Accountability"]

Serve as the end-to-end Test Director for integrating, verifying, and executing flight test campaigns for Hivemind Mission Autonomy on small UAS. You’ll set test readiness with clear entry/exit criteria, plan and run fly–fix–fly test cycles from lab and simulation through flight, and enforce disciplined configuration control and safety. Lead cross-functional test execution, define strategy and success metrics, manage risk and hazard analysis, and report progress and results to internal and external stakeholders.

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FursaFursa
Shield AI
Shield AI
23 hours ago

Senior Staff Engineer, Test Director (R5445)

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Source: Company careers pageValidated by: Fursa AI
Last checked: 5 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Serve as the end-to-end Test Director for integrating, verifying, and executing flight test campaigns for Hivemind Mission Autonomy on small UAS. You’ll set test readiness with clear entry/exit criteria, plan and run fly–fix–fly test cycles from lab and simulation through flight, and enforce disciplined configuration control and safety. Lead cross-functional test execution, define strategy and success metrics, manage risk and hazard analysis, and report progress and results to internal and external stakeholders.
Location: San Diego, Washington
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Executive & General Management
Seniority: Director level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Act as Test Director for system-level integration and flight test campaigns, owning technical direction, readiness decisions, and entry/exit criteria across lab, simulation, ground, and flight phases.
  • •Plan, direct, and execute fly–fix–fly test campaigns, ensuring rapid iteration with disciplined configuration control and safety.
  • •Define and enforce test strategy including system-level verification/validation, test phasing, objective prioritization, and measurable success criteria.
  • •Direct cross-functional test execution by coordinating across engineering disciplines and test operators, determining test infrastructure needs (SIL, HIL, simulation environments, flight test assets, automated test pipelines).
  • •Lead risk assessments and hazard analyses, enforce safety-of-flight discipline, approve test procedures/execution plans, and document/report results, anomalies, corrective actions, and lessons learned.

Pay and Benefits

Salary: USD 170,000 - 250,000 annually
Equity and Bonus:Equity

Key Requirements

  • •B.S. degree in a STEM discipline (Aerospace Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field).
  • •7+ years of experience in system integration and test, including SIL, HIL, simulation, and flight test environments.
  • •Demonstrated experience leading test execution with authority over readiness, risk decisions, and test conduct.
  • •Strong background working cross-functionally with systems engineering, software, hardware, safety, and program management teams.
  • •Working knowledge of DoD DT&E and OT&E processes and documentation expectations.
Experience:7+ yearsSystem integration and testFlight test
Education:Bachelor's in STEM discipline
Skills:Cross-functional collaborationCommunicationOrganizationMethodical approachAccountability
Tech Stack:SILHILSimulationAutomated test pipelinesDoD DT&EOT&EHazard analysisConfiguration control

Company Brief

Shield AI
Develops AI-powered autonomy and software for military aircraft and drones to enable autonomous ISR and combat missions, integrating perception, navigation, and mission planning for defense customers.
Industry: Defense Technology
Company Size: Large (251 to 1,000 employees)
Growth: Scaleup
Funding: Series E+
Headquarters: San Diego, United States
Founded: 2015
WebsiteLinkedIn