Senior Staff Engineer, Materials & Processes (R4227)

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With nine offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Job Description:
As a Materials & Processes Engineer, you will own and shape the entire materials and process specification ecosystem that underpins our next-generation aircraft. You’ll develop the core specifications, tolerance frameworks, and quality assurance processes that define how our vehicles are built and certified. You’ll design ambitious test matrices to qualify and characterize advanced materials and manufacturing methods, partnering closely with cross-functional teams to guide real program decisions and unlock new capabilities. You will also architect airworthiness plans and lead the effort to ensure our materials and processes meet the rigorous requirements needed to put disruptive autonomous aircraft into the sky. This is a highly impactful role where your work directly influences performance, reliability, and safety across the entire platform.

What you'll do: :
Develop and maintain material specification database  Develop and maintain manufacturing process specifications  Provide guidance for fatigue and corrosion prevention  Support environmental qualification testing  Design and implement test plans in support of material, component, and process qualification  Develop and maintain QA inspection process specifications  Work with suppliers to ensure proper implementation of process specifications  Assist with dispositioning of nonconformances  Ensure compliance with airworthiness standards Work with multifunctional teams for selection of materials and manufacturing processes 

Required qualifications: :
Working knowledge of relevant industry standards including those pertaining to coupon and element level testing and material qualification  Working knowledge of manufacturing processes (including composite layups, secondary bonding, heat treatment, welding, etc)  Knowledge of material properties, methods for characterization, and failure mechanisms  Experience with test design, test execution, and the derivation of material specifications from test results  Experience with composite materials including prepreg systems and secondary bonding  Works well in a collaborative setting  Experience developing process specifications  Experience working with multifunctional teams in a collaborative setting 

Preferred qualifications: :
Experience with fatigue testing  Experience with DADT testing  Experience with non-destructive inspection 

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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.

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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.