Deputy Chief Engineer, X-BAT

Shield AI
Seattle
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeUSD 250,000 - 350,000 annuallyFunction: OtherExperience: 12+ yearsEducation: bachelorsSkills: ["Technical leadership","Systems thinking","Engineering judgment","Root-cause analysis","Written and verbal communication"]

Serve as the primary technical deputy for the X-BAT Air Vehicle Lead, driving day-to-day execution across aircraft design, development, integration, test, and maturation. Maintain the controlled technical baseline (requirements, architecture, interfaces, configuration, performance, and airworthiness evidence) and lead engineering integration, trade studies, technical risk management, and major design reviews. Partner with program, manufacturing/supply chain, and test/flight teams to ensure producibility, verification readiness, and corrective action for complex aircraft-level issues.

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FursaFursa
Shield AI
Shield AI
2 days ago

Deputy Chief Engineer, X-BAT

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Last checked: 9 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Serve as the primary technical deputy for the X-BAT Air Vehicle Lead, driving day-to-day execution across aircraft design, development, integration, test, and maturation. Maintain the controlled technical baseline (requirements, architecture, interfaces, configuration, performance, and airworthiness evidence) and lead engineering integration, trade studies, technical risk management, and major design reviews. Partner with program, manufacturing/supply chain, and test/flight teams to ensure producibility, verification readiness, and corrective action for complex aircraft-level issues.
Location: Seattle
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time

Key Responsibilities

  • •Act as the primary technical deputy to the X-BAT Air Vehicle Lead and translate program objectives into engineering priorities.
  • •Maintain the integrity of the air vehicle technical baseline, including requirements, architecture, interfaces, configuration, performance, verification, and airworthiness evidence.
  • •Lead day-to-day engineering integration across aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, avionics/electrical systems, flight controls, software, autonomy, manufacturing, and test.
  • •Drive aircraft-level technical decisions and trade studies using first-principles analysis and considering downstream impacts on performance, safety, cost, schedule, and producibility.
  • •Lead technical-risk processes, major design reviews, verification strategy coordination, and root-cause investigations/corrective actions for aircraft-level problems.

Pay and Benefits

Salary: USD 250,000 - 350,000 annually

Key Requirements

  • •Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
  • •12+ years of progressive experience developing complex aircraft, military aerospace systems, autonomous aircraft, or similarly integrated aerospace products.
  • •Demonstrated technical leadership on an aircraft-development program, preferably in roles such as Chief Engineer or Air Vehicle Lead.
  • •Broad understanding of aircraft design and integration across multiple engineering disciplines and the ability to identify critical interfaces and system-level consequences.
  • •Experience taking an aircraft or similarly complex aerospace system through multiple lifecycle stages (requirements through design, fabrication, integration, testing, qualification, or production).
Experience:12+ yearsMilitary aerospace systemsAutonomous aircraftAircraft development
Education:Bachelor's in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering
Skills:Technical leadershipSystems thinkingEngineering judgmentRoot-cause analysisWritten and verbal communication

Eligibility

Security Clearance:U.S. security clearance

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