Lead/Staff Engineer, Survivability (SD/TX) (R3524)
Dallas Metro Area / San Diego Metro Area
Aircraft Division – Mechanical /
Full Time Employee /
On-site
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent, autonomous systems. Its products include Hivemind Enterprise—EdgeOS, Pilot, Commander, and Forge—as well as V-BAT and Sentient Vision Systems (wide-area motion imaging software). With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X and Instagram.
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Survivability Engineer to support the design, testing and evaluation of advanced low observable defense and aerospace systems. This role is ideal for a multidisciplinary engineer with a background in system survivability, performance optimization, and integration of next-generation technologies. The ideal candidate will have expertise in radar cross section (RCS) reduction, electromagnetic signature control, and materials engineering, with a strong background in survivability and signature modeling, simulation, and testing.
What You'll Do:
- Design and optimize low observable features for airframe and subsystem integration, including shaping, edge treatments, coatings, and radar-absorbing materials.
- Conduct modeling and simulation of electromagnetic signature performance using industry standard tools (e.g., HFSS, CST, SENTRi, Xpatch)
- Develop and execute test plans for LO validation including RCS measurements at indoor and outdoor ranges
- Collaborate with materials scientists and structures teams to mature LO coatings and composited for production readiness
- Support internal and customer survivability assessments, including integrated threat modeling vulnerability reduction strategies
- Participate in design reviews, technical interchange meetings (TIMs), and system verification events
- Ensure design compliance with customer requirements and support milestone decision throughout the acquisition lifecycle
Required Qualifications:
- BS in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field (MS preferred).
- 5+ years of experience in LO technology development, preferable on tactical aircraft programs
- Proficiency with electromagnetic modeling and LO analysis tools.
- Hands-on experience with LO testing techniques and RCS range instrumentation
- Understanding of survivability trade-offs in flight systems and operational mission environments
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- U.S. Citizenship and active Secret clearance (TS/SCI preferred)
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience on developmental stealth programs
- Working knowledge of signature management for multispectral domains (e.g., IR, visual, acoustic)
$140,000 - $210,000 a year
#LI-JW2
#LD
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.
