✓

This position has been filled

Great news — someone landed this role!View open positions at Shield AI →

← Back to jobs

Test Director, XBAT (R4406)

Shield AI•Wichita Metro Area• Part Time

Posted 6 months ago• Business & Finance• Operations

Compensation

$211,390–$317,084/year

Job Description

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description:

Shield AI is redefining autonomous aviation with cutting-edge AI and GPS/RF-denied navigation technologies. We are building X-BAT, a next-generation autonomous VTOL jet aircraft, and we are seeking an experienced Test Director to lead all flight test execution and personnel at the test site.

As Test Director, you are the senior authority for on-site flight test operations, combining deep technical flight test expertise with direct people leadership and operational accountability. You will serve as Pilot in Command (PIC) for unmanned operations while also acting as the test-site leader for all flight test personnel, ensuring safe, disciplined, and efficient execution of complex developmental test campaigns.

This role operates at the intersection of engineering, flight operations, and leadership. You will own test conduct, crew coordination, control-room operations, and real-time decision-making while building and sustaining a high-performing test team in a fast-paced experimental environment.

What you'll do:

Serve as the senior on-site leader for all flight test personnel, including flight test engineers, operators, technicians, instrumentation, and support staff.

Provide direct leadership, tasking, and prioritization for the test team during daily operations and test campaigns.

Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and expectations for test personnel to ensure disciplined execution and crew accountability.

Foster a strong safety culture, professional standards, and effective crew coordination across all test activities.

Serve as Pilot in Command (PIC) for next-generation unmanned flight operations, ensuring strict adherence to safety, regulatory, and procedural standards.

Lead end-to-end flight test campaigns from planning and readiness reviews through execution, post-flight analysis, and reporting.

Act as Test Conductor during all mission events, directing test execution, managing crew communications, and making time-critical operational decisions.

Design, document, and refine control-room infrastructure, console layouts, and flight operations procedures to improve situational awareness and execution efficiency.

Oversee control-room operations including comms discipline, telemetry coordination, safety monitoring, and real-time decision-making.

Develop, review, and approve test plans, test cards, hazard analyses, and data-collection strategies in coordination with engineering and test safety teams.

Conduct real-time telemetry monitoring, anomaly detection, and flight data validation during mission execution.

Lead structured post-flight debriefs and deliver concise, actionable findings to engineering, autonomy, propulsion, and systems teams.

Support continuous improvement of test processes, instrumentation, telemetry systems, and data architecture to increase test velocity and quality.

Required qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical experience.

7+ years of experience in flight test or advanced system testing for unmanned or manned aircraft.

Demonstrated experience leading complex flight test missions with real-time operational authority.

Prior experience serving as Test Conductor, PIC, or equivalent flight test leadership role.

Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams in high-tempo, safety-critical environments.

Strong background in control-room design, test conduct, comms discipline, and real-time telemetry integration.

Hands-on experience with flight test instrumentation, telemetry systems, and data acquisition architectures.

Experience in at least one major test discipline (aerodynamics/performance, propulsion, loads and dynamics, or electrical systems).

Familiarity with structured flight test risk management, pre-flight briefs, and formal post-flight debriefs.

Proficiency with MATLAB, Python, or similar tools for post-flight data analysis.

Working knowledge of applicable military standards (e.g., MIL-STD-882E, MIL-STD-516C) and U.S. UAS airspace regulations.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills across engineering, operations, and leadership audiences.

Pilot certification (Private, Commercial, or higher) or prior military flight qualification.

Preferred qualifications:

Experience with large UAS or high-performance experimental aircraft development programs.

Background in DoD developmental or operational flight test (DT/OT, E-/T-designated).

Experience serving as Airworthiness Authority, Test Safety Officer, or equivalent role.

Familiarity with DO-178C, MIL-STD-810, or formal airworthiness qualification processes.

FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or ability to obtain.

Prior experience managing test teams or serving as the senior on-site test authority.

#LI-AA1

#LF

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.