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Staff Engineer, Operations Analysis (R4757)

United States
Full Time On-site

Summary

Job Description

We are seeking a Staff Operational Analyst to contribute to the modeling, simulation, and analysis of Shield AI’s aircraft systems. In this role, you will perform analysis at the component, system, mission and campaign levels to evaluate the effectiveness, survivability, and operational impact of our aircraft across multiple domains, missions and applications. You will collaborate closely with engineering, product, and defense stakeholders to assess system performance, inform design trade-offs, and improve mission outcomes. 
This position requires a strong working knowledge of military operations, modeling & simulation (M&S), data science, and operational analysis techniques. Your analyses will directly support product decisions and customer engagements by helping demonstrate how Shield AI’s AI-powered platforms perform in realistic and contested operational environments. 

What you'll do:

  •  Execute operational analyses to assess the effectiveness of autonomous systems in representative military scenarios.
  • Develop and run modeling, simulation, and wargaming analyses to evaluate system performance, mission impact, and survivability in contested environments.
  • Collaborate with engineering teams and product managers to translate operational findings into actionable system insights.
  • Perform trade studies and sensitivity analyses to assess system performance across varying operational conditions, assumptions, and threat environments.
  • Build, modify, and analyze mission-level models using tools such as AFSIM, STK, MATLAB, Python, or similar M&S frameworks.
  • Analyze force-on-force engagements, sensor performance, and autonomy-enabled behaviors to support mission effectiveness assessments.
  • Engage with DoD stakeholders, operators, and analysts to understand mission needs and operational constraints.
  • Contribute to the development and refinement of concepts of operations (CONOPS) for AI-enabled aircraft capabilities.
  • Monitor emerging threats and operational challenges relevant to autonomous and air combat systems.
  • Prepare technical documentation, analysis reports, and briefings for internal teams, customers, and government stakeholders. 
  • Apply modern compute and development best practices (e.g., version control, scripting, scalable compute workflows, and reproducible analysis) to build and maintain reliable analysis pipelines.

Required qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering or math domain.
  • 7+ years of experience in operational analysis, modeling & simulation, operations research, or related defense or aerospace roles.
  • Active Secret at minimum, preferred active Top-Secret clearance (or ability to obtain one).

Preferred qualifications:

  • Prior experience in force-on-force analysis, CONOPS development, or military campaign modeling.
  • Expertise in applicable design reference mission development such as OCA or SEAD.
  • Familiarity with DoD acquisition processes, tools (Brawler, ESAMS, etc.), Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS), and military operational testing
  • DoD Program experience as analysis task lead
  • Prior experience in systems engineering product development lifecycle (SysML or MBSE preferred)
  • Expertise providing program critical analysis for system design and integration/test.
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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