Director, Mechanical Systems X-BAT (R6348)

Job Description Shield AI’s mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. We develop autonomy software and advanced aircraft to help U.S. and allied forces accomplish their missions in challenging environments. Are you an experienced engineering leader passionate about developing advanced autonomous aircraft? Do you want to build exceptional teams and deliver the mechanical systems that turn aircraft ambition into flight capability? Shield AI may be the place for you. Shield AI is seeking a Director of X-BAT Mechanical Systems to lead engineering managers and senior technical leaders responsible for mechanical systems and mechanical test on X-BAT, while overseeing Mechanical Engineering and Air Vehicle Systems across our Group 5 aircraft programs. This leader will establish technical strategy, build organizational capability, and oversee execution from architecture and design through integration, qualification, ground test, and flight readiness. The scope includes landing gear, wing fold, doors, flight control actuation, hydraulics, environmental control, and thermal management. The ideal candidate combines broad aircraft mechanical systems expertise with a demonstrated ability to lead through managers, develop technical leaders, and balance engineering rigor with development speed. They bring the judgment to empower teams, challenge critical decisions, and engage directly when needed to advance aircraft capability.

What You'll Do: - Lead and develop the mechanical systems and mechanical test organization for X-BAT, while providing leadership across Mechanical Engineering and Air Vehicle Systems for our Group 5 aircraft portfolio.

- Define organizational structure, establish clear ownership and decision authority, and align talent and resources with aircraft and program priorities.

- Recruit, coach, and develop engineering managers and senior technical leaders, building leadership capacity, technical depth, and succession capability.

- Establish technical strategy, capability roadmaps, and development priorities for landing gear, wing fold, doors, flight control actuation, hydraulics, environmental control, and thermal management.

- Lead aircraft-level architecture and trade studies that balance performance, reliability, safety, mass, power, volume, maintainability, cost, and schedule.

- Partner with adjacent engineering organizations to resolve interfaces, reconcile competing requirements, manage dependencies, and retire critical technical risks.

- Oversee execution from requirements definition and design through hardware development, systems integration, qualification, ground test, and flight readiness.

- Establish practical expectations for design reviews, verification, risk management, and configuration control that produce clear evidence of design maturity and readiness.