Staff Flight Test Engineer (R4380)

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.  Job Description: Shield AI is seeking a highly experienced Flight Test Engineer to lead ground and flight test planning and execution for X-BAT, the world’s first autonomous VTOL jet aircraft. In this role, you will shape the flight test strategy, direct complex developmental test campaigns, and provide technical leadership across the program to ensure safe and rapid development of a next-generation autonomous aircraft. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in developmental flight testing, mission control room operations, and aircraft test envelope expansion. You will work closely with engineering, flight operations, autonomy, systems integration, instrumentation, manufacturing, and safety teams to define test objectives, assess risk, execute test missions, and analyze the data required to evaluate aircraft performance and advance the flight test program. This is a high-impact role for a technical leader who thrives in fast-paced, experimental environments and who wants to help define the future of autonomous aviation.