Director, Test Engineering - ACP Programs (R5044)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and 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.

Act as Test Director and technical lead for integration and flight test of Hivemind autonomy on group 5 ACP systems, including multi-aircraft coordination scenarios in LVC and empirical flight test scenarios. Own test strategy and execution across the full development lifecycle, including system-level verification & validation, test phasing, and prioritization across SIL, HIL, simulation, ground, and flight test environments Plan and execute large-scale flight test campaigns, including complex mission scenarios involving cooperative autonomy, human-machine teaming, and distributed systems Serve as the final authority during mission autonomy test operations, directing test conduct and approving test plans, procedures, and execution flow Coordinate cross-functional execution across software, hardware, systems engineering, flight operations, safety, and program leadership teams Define mission-level performance metrics and success criteria, ensuring traceability from requirements to test outcomes and operational effectiveness Own test infrastructure strategy, including large-scale simulation environments, SIL/HIL systems, aircraft integration labs, and flight test assets Lead on-aircraft integration and flight test operations with platform OEM partners, including system configuration, software deployment, real-time troubleshooting, and post-flight data analysis Serve as primary coordinator working with platform OEMs to define and enforce test readiness criteria (entry/exit), define safety-of-flight and mission risk management, airspace coordination and test hazard identification, analysis, and mitigation to ultimately make go/no-go decisions for progression into ground and flight test events Establish and scale test processes, standards, and best practices aligned with DoD DT&E/OT&E expectations and operational test rigor

Typically requires 15+ years of experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 14+ years with a Master’s; or 12+ years with a PhD; or equivalent experience Demonstrated experience leading flight test or large-scale system integration efforts, including authority over test readiness, execution, and risk decisions Strong background in full-scale aviation test environments, including aircraft integration, ground test, and flight operations Experience with system-level verification & validation across multiple test environments (SIL, HIL, simulation, and flight) Proven ability to plan and execute complex, multi-phase flight test campaigns involving multiple stakeholders and dependencies Experience working cross-functionally across software, hardware, avionics, systems engineering, safety, and program teams Strong understanding of safety-of-flight principles, risk management, and disciplined test execution in aviation environments Proficiency in Python or similar tools for test automation, data analysis, or system validation Excellent technical leadership and communication skills, including briefing to senior leadership and external customers Ability to obtain and maintain a SECRET clearance; U.S. citizenship required

Experience supporting Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP), loyal wingman concepts, or multi-vehicle autonomous systems Prior role as Flight Test Director, Test Conductor, or Lead Flight Test Engineer on full-scale aircraft programs Familiarity with military aviation test processes, including DT&E and OT&E frameworks Experience operating in or supporting government flight test ranges and operational environments Background in autonomy, AI/ML-enabled systems, or human-machine teaming in aviation contexts Experience with airworthiness processes, flight clearance, and configuration control for aircraft systems Familiarity with tools such as Git, Jira/Azure DevOps, and CI/CD pipelines Active SECRET clearance

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