Mission Assurance Lead (R5896)

The role

This person will provide independent oversight of maintenance, configuration, documentation and field operations for Shield AI aircraft. The role covers inspections, audits, data integrity and corrective actions to keep aircraft readiness and process conformance on track.

What you will do

• Build and operate a Mission Assurance model for aircraft operations
• Define inspection strategy, audit cadence, evidence requirements and reporting rhythms
• Conduct independent inspections of maintenance tasks, logbooks, configuration and field operations
• Verify maintenance quality, data integrity and critical-step completion
• Develop and run standardized evaluation programs, sampling plans and audits
• Maintain dashboards on quality, open findings, CAPA status and readiness blockers
• Partner with Maintenance, Field Operations, Engineering and Airworthiness to standardize processes
• Escalate safety-of-flight and compliance risks and recommend stop-work or impounds when warranted
• Support investigations of mishaps, near misses and maintenance errors
• Perform follow-up inspections to confirm findings are resolved

Required qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in aviation maintenance, maintenance QA, maintenance control, field service leadership or equivalent mission-critical roles
• Demonstrated ability to build or mature maintenance QA or mission assurance programs
• Practical expertise with maintenance procedures, logbooks, work orders, discrepancies, configuration control, service bulletin compliance, tool/FOD control and aircraft release discipline
• Hands-on experience in operational environments such as hangars, flightlines, test ranges, customer sites or deployed locations
• Strong data discipline and ability to produce accurate, actionable reports and dashboards
• Working knowledge of audit practices, root-cause methods, CAPA and safety/quality systems
• High ownership and independence
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to travel and support non-standard operational tempos

Nice to have

• Experience with military aviation maintenance or QA
• Experience with NASA-style mission assurance, DoD QA, AS9100, ICAO safety assurance or similar frameworks
• Experience supporting developmental flight test programs or rapidly evolving aircraft platforms
• Training in auditing, root-cause analysis, CAPA, HFACS, TapRooT, Six Sigma, human factors or maintenance evaluation
• Experience with autonomous systems, configuration management, telemetry-based maintenance or digital maintenance systems
• Familiarity with aviation safety assurance, risk management and continuous monitoring
• Active or eligible security clearance

Benefits

• Bonus
• Benefits (full-time regular employees)
• Equity (full-time regular employees)
• Temporary benefits package applicable after 60 days of employment (temporary employees)

Before you apply

• All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check
• Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits
• Salary depends on skill set, experience, licenses and certifications, and work location

About the company

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company that builds intelligent systems to protect service members and civilians. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation technologies.