Senior V-BAT Air Vehicle Operator, Production Flight Test
Shield AI is a U.S. defense-technology company developing mission-autonomy software and autonomous aircraft for military and allied operations.
Funding history
Investors
About Shield AI
Founded in 2015, Shield AI builds Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft for operations in contested, GPS- and communications-denied environments. Its current site also presents Aechelon synthetic-reality simulation and Vision Systems detection and tracking products.
Skills
Candidate Availability
Required and preferred rules are kept separate and reflect the wording in the original posting.
About the Role
You will operate unmanned aircraft during production acceptance, regression, and troubleshooting flights. You will plan and prepare missions, review aircraft and operational records, coordinate with flight crews, document results and discrepancies, support corrective actions, maintain qualifications, improve test processes, and uphold safety procedures.
Requirements
- 2,000 documented unmanned flight hours or 1,000 manned flight hours
- Experience conducting production acceptance, developmental, operational, or customer acceptance testing
- Knowledge of aircraft maintenance documentation, quality systems, and nonconformance reporting
- Experience operating in controlled, restricted, or special-use airspace
- FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
- Ability to obtain and maintain an FAA Class II Medical Certificate
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret DoD security clearance
- Ability to pass background, drug, and customer-required medical and dental screenings
- Willingness to travel up to 25% for CONUS and OCONUS test events or deployments
- Ability to lead and operate independently in small teams
- Aviation judgment, decision-making, and risk management skills
Responsibilities
- Serve as the Air Vehicle Operator during production, acceptance, regression, and troubleshooting flights
- Operate aircraft according to approved procedures, limitations, and test cards
- Conduct mission planning, preflight preparation, system configuration, and post-flight activities
- Review aircraft records, configurations, maintenance status, weather, airspace, and operational risk
- Coordinate with flight test engineers, maintainers, production personnel, and flight crew
- Identify abnormal system behavior and support real-time troubleshooting
- Document flight results, aircraft discrepancies, test-card completion, and operational observations
- Support nonconformance reports, corrective actions, and retest requirements
- Participate in flight briefs, debriefs, safety reviews, and risk assessments
- Provide feedback on aircraft performance and recurring issues
- Maintain proficiency on assigned aircraft, ground-control systems, and procedures
- Support aircraft delivery, customer acceptance activities, demonstrations, and field operations
- Improve checklists, test procedures, training materials, and flight-test processes
- Exercise stop-work authority when unsafe conditions exist
- Work flexible schedules based on weather and production requirements
Benefits
- Bonus
- Benefits
- Equity
- Temporary benefits package after 60 days of employment