Senior Staff Engineer, Survivability Materials

The role

Lead the selection, qualification, specification and production use of low-observable and signature-control materials for next-generation autonomous aircraft. Work with survivability, design, manufacturing, quality, supply chain and sustainment teams so materials meet signature needs and can be produced, inspected and supported.

What you will do

• Evaluate radar-absorbing, conductive, dielectric, coating, adhesive, sealant and other survivability materials.
• Develop and maintain a survivability materials database with performance, cost, supplier, availability and sustainment data.
• Partner with teams to down-select materials on signature performance, durability, producibility, weight, cost and supply-chain risk.
• Develop material qualification plans and oversee electromagnetic, electrical, mechanical, thermal, chemical and environmental testing.
• Establish and maintain laboratory capabilities for material characterization, process development, receiving inspection and production verification.
• Provide hands-on production support for material application, inspection, troubleshooting, repair, supplier coordination and sustainment.

Required qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in aerospace materials engineering, low-observable materials, electromagnetic materials, specialty coatings, or a related field.
• Working knowledge of radar-absorbing materials, conductive coatings, dielectric materials, adhesives, sealants or specialty surface treatments.
• Understanding of how complex permittivity, complex permeability, conductivity and thickness affect electromagnetic and radar-signature performance.
• Experience with material characterization, laboratory testing, production inspection or supplier qualification.
• U.S. citizenship and active Secret clearance.

Nice to have

• Experience developing or qualifying radar-absorbing materials, low-observable coatings, structural RAM, conductive treatments or signature-control appliqués.
• Experience measuring electromagnetic material properties using free-space, waveguide, coaxial, resonant-cavity or reflectivity-based methods.
• Familiarity with vector network analyzers, free-space measurement systems, conductivity equipment, coating-thickness instruments, environmental chambers and mechanical test equipment.
• Active Secret, Top Secret or SCI security clearance.

Benefits

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

Before you apply

• U.S. citizenship and an active Secret clearance are required.
• All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.
• Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits.

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.