Director, Mission Systems

Washington, D.C.. Posted 2 months ago

The role

Lead multidisciplinary teams working on mission systems for next-generation autonomous aircraft. Set technical strategy and investment priorities, and oversee work from early concept through integration, flight test, and fielding.

What you will do

Lead and develop a multidisciplinary organization spanning communications and integrated mission systems.
Set priorities, accountability, objectives, and operating rhythms for teams.
Define technical strategy, capability roadmaps, and investment priorities.
Oversee integrated mission-system architectures, including sensors, payloads, avionics, weapons, secure communications, autonomy, and survivability.
Direct modeling, simulation, wargaming, and system-of-systems analysis.
Lead cross-functional trade studies balancing capability, survivability, risk, cost, and schedule.
Ensure disciplined execution from requirements through hardware-in-the-loop testing, flight test, certification, and fielding.
Partner with engineering, product, program management, business development, and aircraft leadership.
Engage DoD customers, operators, suppliers, and government stakeholders.
Recruit, coach, and develop people managers and senior technical leaders.

Required qualifications

Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or another relevant technical discipline.
10+ years of experience supporting complex military aircraft, autonomous systems, or other aerospace and defense programs.
Experience leading and developing a multidisciplinary engineering organization with people managers and senior technical leaders.
Broad working knowledge across mission systems, operational analysis, modeling and simulation, survivability, secure communications, avionics, sensors, payloads, or weapons integration.
Experience establishing organizational and technical strategies while managing technical, programmatic, and organizational risk.
Ability to balance mission performance with cost, schedule, product maturity, and business priorities.
Experience overseeing aircraft capabilities across the product lifecycle, from requirements through sustainment.
Executive-level communication skills for influencing customers, operators, business leaders, and government stakeholders.
U.S. citizenship with an active Secret security clearance, and the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance and required SAP/SAR accesses.

Nice to have

Master's degree or PhD in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Leadership experience on military UAS, advanced autonomous aircraft, collaborative combat aircraft, or fifth-generation fighter programs.
Experience advancing a product or capability from customer shaping and concept development through acquisition, flight test, and tactical deployment.
Experience with multi-domain operational analysis, CONOPS development, force-on-force modeling, threat assessment, or survivability analysis.
Working knowledge of model-based systems engineering and SysML, DoD acquisition and JCIDS processes, electronic warfare, low-observable communications, and AI-enabled sensors or payloads.
Experience developing modular, open-system mission architectures that support third-party payload integration.
Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility and experience supporting classified DoD or Intelligence Community programs.

Before you apply

U.S. citizenship is required.
An active Secret clearance is required, with the ability to obtain Top Secret and required SAP/SAR accesses.

About the company

Shield AI develops advanced autonomous aircraft and offers solutions for DoD customers. The posting describes its work as delivering decisive advantage in contested environments.