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Director, Mission Effectiveness

Shield AI· X-BAT Division – X-BAT Engineering - Mechanical
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Hybrid (Washington, D.C. / Dallas, Texas / Seattle, Washington / San Diego, California)$225k - $340kFull Time EmployeePosted 1mo ago

About the role

Director of Mission Effectiveness to lead multidisciplinary teams spanning operational analysis, aircraft survivability, communications, and integrated mission systems for next-generation autonomous aircraft; establishes technical and business strategy and oversees execution from concept to fielding.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and develop a multidisciplinary organization spanning operational analysis, survivability, communications, and integrated mission systems.
  • Establish clear priorities, accountability, organizational objectives, and operating rhythms aligned with product and program objectives.
  • Define technical strategy, capability roadmaps, and investment priorities.
  • Oversee development of integrated mission-system architectures (sensors, payloads, avionics, weapons, secure communications, autonomy, survivability).
  • Direct modeling, simulation, wargaming, and system-of-systems analysis to evaluate mission effectiveness and design options.
  • Lead cross-functional trade studies balancing capability, survivability, risk, cost, schedule, manufacturability, and program maturity.
  • Ensure disciplined execution from requirements through testing, certification, and fielding.
  • Partner with engineering, product, program management, business development, and aircraft leadership to deliver capabilities.
  • Engage DoD customers, operators, suppliers, and government stakeholders to shape requirements and communicate operational value.
  • Recruit, coach, and develop managers and senior technical leaders; build organizational depth and succession.
  • Ensure compliance with system-safety, airworthiness, cybersecurity, security, and certification requirements.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or another relevant technical discipline.
  • 10+ years of experience supporting complex military aircraft, autonomous systems, or other aerospace and defense programs.
  • Experience leading and developing a multidisciplinary engineering organization with people managers and senior technical leaders.
  • Broad knowledge across mission systems, operational analysis, modeling and simulation, survivability, secure communications, avionics, sensors, payloads, or weapons integration.
  • Experience establishing organizational and technical strategies while managing risk.
  • Ability to balance mission performance with cost, schedule, product maturity, and business priorities.
  • Experience overseeing complex aircraft capabilities across the product lifecycle (requirements, architecture, integration, test, certification, fielding, sustainment).
  • Executive-level communication skills with success influencing customers, operators, business leaders, engineering teams, and government stakeholders.
  • U.S. citizenship with an active Secret clearance and ability to obtain/maintain Top Secret clearance and required SAP/SAR accesses.

Skills

Required:Multidisciplinary team leadershipTechnical strategy and roadmappingSystems architecture for mission systemsModeling, simulation, and wargamingDoD engagement and requirements shapingRisk management in aerospace programs
Last updated Oct 23, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Shield AI

Autonomy for the world.

Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.

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