Staff Engineer Jobs at Shield AI with Visa Sponsorship
Staff Engineer jobs at Shield AI sit at the intersection of advanced software systems and autonomous defense technology, requiring deep technical expertise in areas like AI, robotics, or distributed systems. Shield AI sponsors multiple work visa types for this function, making it a viable path for international engineers targeting defense-sector leadership roles.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
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 offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide.
Job Description:
Shield AI is seeking an experienced Flight Test Engineer to plan, execute, analyze, and improve ground and flight test operations for a fast-paced next gen aircraft system. You will work closely across several segment owners of engineering, operations, autonomy, systems integration, product support, and manufacturing.
What you'll do:
- Develop, publish, and execute comprehensive flight test plans, procedures, cards, risk assessments, safety, and readiness reviews
- Support integration and test of aircraft systems, payloads, comms/data links, software, ground control systems, and mission equipment
- Lead and coordinate pre-flight, flight, and post-flight activities, including system configuration, instrumentation, telemetry, data collection and test reports
- Analyze ground and flight test data to identify performance trends, anomalies, root causes, and corrective actions
- Coordinate with engineering teams to validate requirements, troubleshoot issues, and mature system capabilities
- Lead or participate in test range operations, safety briefings, go/no-go decisions, and test setup and logistics
- Document test results, lessons learned, anomalies, and recommendations in clear technical reports
- Support aircraft maintenance, configuration control, and system readiness
- Create and improve flight test processes, tools, data workflows, and operational efficiency
- Create and maintain ground and air operating limitations requirements
- Travel to test sites, customer locations, and field exercises as required
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM Degree)
- 5-10 years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned/manned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering
- Strong understanding of aircraft systems, flight dynamics, avionics, telemetry, sensors, or control systems
- Proven ability to write and execute structured test plans, procedures, and reports
- Strong troubleshooting skills in field and/or lab environments
- Excellent communication skills and ability to work across engineering and operations teams
- Willingness to travel and work outdoors, fields, or test range environments
- Overtime and weekend coverage as required
Preferred qualifications:
- 10+ years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering
- Experience in Group 4-5 UAS and/or fighter type capability or similar weapons systems
- Familiarity with FAA, DoW, and test range flight operations
- Experience with autonomy, navigation, mission planning, and Command-and-Control (C2) systems
- Hands-on experience with aircraft maintenance, avionics integration, payload integration, and ground support equipment
- Experience with telemetry systems, flight and data logs, sensor data, datalinks, and RF systems
- Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or crewed aviation experience
- Proven Mission Control Room experience using Integrated Analysis & Data System (IADS) or similar development FTI display system
- Experience leading or supporting developmental flight test campaigns from design through planning and execution to include reporting
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is practical, detail-oriented engineer who is comfortable in control rooms, hangar/maintenance areas, and office type environments. You can write a detailed test plan, troubleshoot hardware and software at a test site, analyze flight data, and communicate clearly under operational pressure. You are safety-minded, have high technical acumen, and motivated by building and validating advanced and complex aircraft systems.
COMPENSATION
- Salary Range: $120,000 - $190,000 a year
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.
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.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
INTRODUCTION
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 offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide.
Job Description:
Shield AI is seeking an experienced Flight Test Engineer to plan, execute, analyze, and improve ground and flight test operations for a fast-paced next gen aircraft system. You will work closely across several segment owners of engineering, operations, autonomy, systems integration, product support, and manufacturing.
What you'll do:
- Develop, publish, and execute comprehensive flight test plans, procedures, cards, risk assessments, safety, and readiness reviews
- Support integration and test of aircraft systems, payloads, comms/data links, software, ground control systems, and mission equipment
- Lead and coordinate pre-flight, flight, and post-flight activities, including system configuration, instrumentation, telemetry, data collection and test reports
- Analyze ground and flight test data to identify performance trends, anomalies, root causes, and corrective actions
- Coordinate with engineering teams to validate requirements, troubleshoot issues, and mature system capabilities
- Lead or participate in test range operations, safety briefings, go/no-go decisions, and test setup and logistics
- Document test results, lessons learned, anomalies, and recommendations in clear technical reports
- Support aircraft maintenance, configuration control, and system readiness
- Create and improve flight test processes, tools, data workflows, and operational efficiency
- Create and maintain ground and air operating limitations requirements
- Travel to test sites, customer locations, and field exercises as required
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM Degree)
- 5-10 years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned/manned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering
- Strong understanding of aircraft systems, flight dynamics, avionics, telemetry, sensors, or control systems
- Proven ability to write and execute structured test plans, procedures, and reports
- Strong troubleshooting skills in field and/or lab environments
- Excellent communication skills and ability to work across engineering and operations teams
- Willingness to travel and work outdoors, fields, or test range environments
- Overtime and weekend coverage as required
Preferred qualifications:
- 10+ years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering
- Experience in Group 4-5 UAS and/or fighter type capability or similar weapons systems
- Familiarity with FAA, DoW, and test range flight operations
- Experience with autonomy, navigation, mission planning, and Command-and-Control (C2) systems
- Hands-on experience with aircraft maintenance, avionics integration, payload integration, and ground support equipment
- Experience with telemetry systems, flight and data logs, sensor data, datalinks, and RF systems
- Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or crewed aviation experience
- Proven Mission Control Room experience using Integrated Analysis & Data System (IADS) or similar development FTI display system
- Experience leading or supporting developmental flight test campaigns from design through planning and execution to include reporting
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is practical, detail-oriented engineer who is comfortable in control rooms, hangar/maintenance areas, and office type environments. You can write a detailed test plan, troubleshoot hardware and software at a test site, analyze flight data, and communicate clearly under operational pressure. You are safety-minded, have high technical acumen, and motivated by building and validating advanced and complex aircraft systems.
COMPENSATION
- Salary Range: $120,000 - $190,000 a year
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.
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.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
See all 48+ Staff Engineer Jobs at Shield AI
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Staff Engineer Jobs at Shield AI.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Staff Engineer Jobs at Shield AI
Obtain security clearance eligibility early
Many Staff Engineer roles at Shield AI require or strongly prefer U.S. security clearance eligibility. Non-U.S. citizens on work visas are generally ineligible, so confirming which open roles are clearance-exempt before applying saves significant time.
Tailor your resume to autonomous systems
Shield AI's Staff Engineer openings consistently center on autonomy stacks, real-time systems, and mission-critical software. Framing your experience around embedded systems, robotics, or AI safety rather than general software engineering signals direct alignment with their technical domain.
Use Migrate Mate to filter open roles by visa type
Shield AI posts Staff Engineer roles across multiple teams with varying sponsorship eligibility. Use Migrate Mate to filter specifically for positions open to your visa category, so you target roles where sponsorship is already confirmed before investing time in applications.
Understand how OPT timing affects your offer window
If you're on F-1 OPT, the 60-day grace period and STEM OPT extension timeline matter for when Shield AI can realistically file your H-1B or start PERM. Align your interview timeline so an offer lands with enough runway on your current authorization.
Ask directly about the PERM and EB filing path
For EB-2 or EB-3 sponsorship, PERM labor certification with DOL typically adds 12 to 18 months before an I-140 petition can even be filed. Clarifying whether Shield AI initiates PERM early or only after a probationary period helps you plan your long-term immigration strategy.
Highlight experience with safety-critical or regulated systems
Defense contractors like Shield AI operate under strict export control and engineering standards. Documenting prior work on safety-critical, regulated, or certified systems in your application materials directly addresses a screening concern that disqualifies many otherwise strong candidates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Shield AI sponsor H-1B visas for Staff Engineers?
Shield AI's visa sponsorship activity for Staff Engineer roles includes pathways beyond the H-1B visa, such as TN visa for Canadian and Mexican nationals, F-1 OPT and CPT for students, and J-1 visa for exchange visitors. H-1B visa sponsorship is not explicitly listed among the visa types currently associated with this role at Shield AI, so confirming the specific sponsorship offering with the recruiter during initial conversations is strongly advised.
How do I apply for Staff Engineer jobs at Shield AI?
Applications for Staff Engineer positions go through Shield AI's careers page, where roles are listed by team and location. Before applying, verify that the specific posting includes visa sponsorship, as not every opening at a company that sponsors will sponsor for every role. Migrate Mate lets you browse Shield AI's Staff Engineer openings filtered by visa type, so you can identify confirmed sponsorship roles before starting your application.
Which visa types are most relevant for Staff Engineer roles at Shield AI?
Shield AI sponsors F-1 OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, and employment-based Green Card categories including EB-2 and EB-3 for Staff Engineer roles. TN is available to Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying engineering occupations. EB-2 and EB-3 require PERM labor certification through DOL before petition filing, making them longer-term pathways suited for candidates already in the U.S. on a valid work authorization.
What qualifications does Shield AI expect for Staff Engineer candidates?
Staff Engineer roles at Shield AI typically require substantial experience in software engineering, with depth in areas like autonomy, real-time or embedded systems, machine learning infrastructure, or mission-critical software. Given the defense context, familiarity with engineering practices under regulatory or safety constraints is a recurring signal in their job descriptions. A bachelor's or advanced degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or a related field is standard, though equivalent demonstrated experience is also recognized.
How long does the sponsorship and hiring process typically take for international candidates?
From offer acceptance to work authorization, timelines depend on your current visa status. TN status can be established at the border in a single day for Canadian nationals. F-1 OPT transfers require employer E-Verify registration and an updated I-20. EB-2 and EB-3 Green Card sponsorship through PERM runs 18 months or more before an I-140 is even filed. Building this timeline into your job search, especially if your current authorization expires within a year, is critical.