Senior Staff Engineer, Test Director (R5446)
Recently observed
At a glance: is it worth your time?
- Is it real? Listed on Shield AI's own job board; JoRoute confirmed it 1 hour ago. · checked by JoRoute
- What it asks: Manager. "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." · employer's own words
- Check before applying: Pay about $215k a year, 33% above the typical $161k in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C.. · pay compared by JoRoute
- Next: One-page brief: what to ask before you apply · Should I apply?
Facts from the employer's board and other listings, not a verdict that the job is safe.
Apply only through the employer's own page. Real employers never ask you to pay to apply or to deposit a check for them. How to spot job scams.
- Job type
- Full-time
- Department
- Integration & Test
- Salary
- USD 171,680–257,520 per year (as published by the source)
- Posted
- 2026-09-14
Description
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.
As a Senior Staff Flight Test Engineer / Test Director, you will serve as the end-to-end Test Director for the integration, verification, and flight test of Hivemind Mission Autonomy on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). You will own the technical direction, execution, and readiness of test campaigns, applying a fly–fix–fly methodology to rapidly mature autonomy capabilities from simulation and lab environments through flight.
In this role, you are the single technical authority for test execution—responsible for determining test readiness, directing test conduct, managing risk, and ensuring data-driven decisions throughout development and flight test operations. You will lead cross-functional teams across engineering, safety, and program management, aligning stakeholders around clear objectives, disciplined execution, and continuous learning.
#LI-LD1
#LE
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.

