Sr. Manager, Aerostructures Design, X-BAT (R5633)

The role

You will lead the aerostructures design organization for the X-BAT program, an AI-piloted aircraft. The role covers airframe structure development, coordination with other engineering and manufacturing teams, and building the engineering team.

What you will do

• Lead the aerostructures design organization for the X-BAT program.
• Drive development of lightweight, manufacturable, survivable aircraft structures.
• Partner with flight sciences, propulsion, avionics, manufacturing, autonomy, flight test, and supply chain teams.
• Establish engineering processes, design standards, configuration management, and structural roadmaps.
• Oversee development and validation of composite and metallic airframe structures.
• Build and mentor a world-class aerostructures engineering team.
• Support transition from development into scalable production.
• Drive root-cause analysis and corrective action for structural, manufacturing, and flight-test findings.
• Present technical reviews, program risks, and recommendations to executive leadership and external stakeholders.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• 12+ years of aerospace structural engineering experience, including leadership on advanced aircraft programs.
• Deep expertise in aircraft primary structures, composites, metallic design, structural analysis, and integration.
• Experience leading teams through full aircraft development cycles, from conceptual design through flight test and production.
• Strong understanding of aircraft loads, stress analysis, fatigue, durability, and structural substantiation.
• Experience collaborating across highly integrated aerospace development organizations.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and scale high-performing engineering teams.
• Experience in fast-paced development environments with aggressive technical schedules.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree in Aerospace Engineering or related discipline.
• Experience with autonomous aircraft, tactical aviation, unmanned systems, or defense aerospace platforms.
• Expertise in composite airframe manufacturing and high-rate production methodologies.
• Background supporting low observable, survivability, or expeditionary aircraft design.
• Familiarity with military airworthiness standards and defense acquisition environments.
• Experience supporting prototype-to-production transitions in venture-backed or high-growth aerospace organizations.

Benefits

• Bonus (full-time regular employees).
• Equity (full-time regular employees).
• Benefits package (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.
• A U.S. security clearance must be obtainable and maintainable.
• 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, including Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation technologies. It has offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.