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Senior Staff Designer (R4320)

United States
Full Time On-site

Summary

Job Description

The Staff/Sr. Staff Product Designer role within Shield AI’s Hivemind organization is responsible for solving complex User Experience and Product Design problems associated with the end-to-end user experience of developing, deploying, testing and evaluating autonomy solutions. The core products developed by the Hivemind organization target multiple user personae, ranging from the external end-user (the “Operator” of autonomous systems), to the Test engineer (who tests and evaluates autonomous systems in software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop and real-world flight test environments), to the AI engineer (who develops and tests autonomy architectures). Significant portions of the product are are best described as developer facing software product (i.e. SDKs, CLIs) and require contribution from designers that have relevant experience. Other portions of the product leverage web technologies and UIs to support configuration management, scenario design, mission planning, mission rehearsal, debrief, and test and evaluation process. The supported workflows with these products range from the highly visual/experiential experience of the operator using a ground-control-station (GCS) client to mission plan and command-and-control, to autonomy engineers working within the Integrated Development Environment, to Test Engineers using the web portal and extensible CLI tool. As such, Hivemind is a highly complex and technical product that enables complex workflows across multiple collaborating teams.

What you'll do:

  • Lead end-to-end design for high-impact product areas, from strategy and concept to final implementation.
  • Drive and uphold design quality through strong ideation, systems thinking, and refinement of shared design standards.
  • Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Customer Experience to define product direction and user needs.
  • Facilitate design strategy workshops and collaboration to drive alignment and momentum.
  • Influence cross-functional planning, roadmap prioritization, and long-term product vision through design shaping rituals.
  • Advocate for the user experience in company-wide discussions; help shape how product success is defined.
  • Mentor other designers through feedback, partnering and thought leadership.
  • Lead design reviews to collect feedback from engineering, product and customer surrogates, and align features and capabilities

Required qualifications:

  • Master’s in design, HCI, or demonstrated work experience at a comparable level of expertise.
  • 8+ years of professional experience in product/UX design with a track record of shipped, user-facing products.
  • A portfolio demonstrating exceptional interaction design.
  • Expertise with modern design tools (Figma, ProtoPie, etc.) and workflows (design systems, component libraries).
  • Experience leading product initiatives end-to-end - from exploration to final implementation.
  • Strong systems thinking and the ability to scale and improve design frameworks.
  • Excellent communication skills,  able to clearly present design rationale to non-design stakeholders.

Preferred qualifications:

  • Prior experience in a Principal or Staff-level design role at a product-led company.
  • Background in designing enterprise software, platforms.
  • Experience designing developer-facing software tools.
  • Familiarity with geospatial interfaces and complex data visualization or analysis workflows.
  • Experience contributing to design systems and iterating with prototypes, A/B testing, or data-informed workflows.
  • Passion for mentoring others and cultivating design team culture and process.
  • Experience with automation, autonomy, self-driving, robotics, aerospace, aviation
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. 

About Shield AI

Shield AI

Shield AI is a defense technology company building autonomous AI systems for aircraft, drones, and intelligent mission software used in complex military environments. Founded in 2015, the company is best known for developing Hivemind, an AI pilot system that enables aircraft and drones to operate autonomously in contested and GPS-denied environments, supporting U.S. and allied defense missions.

For job seekers, Shield AI offers opportunities across advanced fields including artificial intelligence, robotics, software engineering, autonomy systems, aerospace engineering, embedded systems, and mission operations. The company is especially attractive to engineers, AI researchers, and defense professionals who want to work on real-world autonomous systems that are actively being deployed in operational military scenarios.

Unlike traditional defense contractors, Shield AI operates with a startup-style engineering culture focused on rapid experimentation, real-world testing, and fast deployment of autonomous capabilities. Employees work on tightly integrated AI and robotics systems that combine perception, decision-making, and control, enabling platforms to operate without direct human input in highly complex environments.

As modern warfare increasingly shifts toward autonomous systems, distributed sensing, and AI-enabled decision-making, Shield AI continues to grow as one of the most prominent companies in next-generation defense technology. For professionals seeking to build cutting-edge autonomy systems with direct mission impact, Shield AI stands out as a leading employer in the defense innovation ecosystem.

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