Staff Supplier Development Engineer - Mechanical (R5859)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BATaircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Drive the performance and readiness of the supplier network behind next-generation aerospace technology. In this role, you’ll partner across suppliers and engineering teams to solve complex manufacturing challenges, strengthen production capabilities, and ensure critical hardware is ready to scale from development through production.

Job Description:

What you'll do:

• Lead the technical development and performance improvement of suppliers supporting critical mechanical commodities, including airframe structures, precision-machined components, landing gear systems, and propulsion and engine-related hardware.
• Assess supplier technical capabilities, manufacturing processes, capacity, quality systems, tooling, workforce, and production readiness for prototype, development, qualification, and production programs.
• Conduct supplier capability assessments, manufacturing readiness reviews, process audits, capacity analyses, and onsite technical evaluations.
• Partner with Strategic Sourcing and Engineering to evaluate and select suppliers capable of meeting technical, quality, cost, schedule, and production-rate requirements.
• Serve as the primary technical interface between suppliers and internal Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Program teams.
• Lead supplier industrialization activities, including manufacturing planning, tooling readiness, process validation, capacity planning, qualification, and production ramp-up.
• Review engineering drawings, specifications, GD&T, bills of material, special-process requirements, and statements of work to ensure suppliers fully understand technical and manufacturing requirements.
• Drive design-for-manufacturability and design-for-assembly discussions between internal Engineering teams and suppliers to improve producibility, reduce cost, and shorten lead times.
• Develop and manage supplier technical development plans, production readiness plans, capacity recovery plans, and corrective action plans.
• Lead technical problem-solving activities involving manufacturing defects, dimensional nonconformances, process variation, tooling issues, material shortages, and production constraints.
• Apply structured root-cause and corrective-action methods, including 8D, 5-Why, fishbone analysis, fault-tree analysis, and other appropriate problem-solving tools.
• Review and approve supplier manufacturing documentation, including process flow diagrams, manufacturing plans, inspection plans, control plans, PFMEAs, work instructions, and qualification documentation.
• Coordinate First Article Inspection activities in accordance with AS9102 and support the resolution of FAI discrepancies and manufacturing nonconformances.
• Evaluate supplier production capacity using cycle times, yield, equipment availability, staffing, tooling, and material flow to confirm the ability to meet current and future demand.
• Support suppliers through engineering changes, new product introductions, prototype builds, qualification activities, and production-rate increases.
• Develop measurable improvement plans for suppliers experiencing delivery, quality, capacity, or technical performance issues.
• Lead onsite supplier recovery efforts and regularly communicate progress, risks, and corrective actions to program and executive leadership.
• Monitor supplier performance trends and use data to identify recurring issues, systemic risks, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Support the development of alternate sources and risk-mitigation strategies for sole-source, long-lead, and flight-critical components.
• Work with suppliers to implement lean manufacturing, process controls, mistake-proofing, yield improvement, cycle-time reduction, and production-flow improvements.
• Ensure suppliers comply with applicable AS9100, AS9102, engineering, configuration-control, special-process, and customer requirements.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to less-experienced Supplier Development, Supplier Quality, and Supply Chain team members.
• Travel regularly to supplier locations to conduct assessments, resolve technical issues, and support production readiness and recovery activities.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 7+ years of experience in supplier development, manufacturing engineering, supplier quality engineering, quality engineering, or a related technical role within aerospace, defense, or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing suppliers and resolving complex manufacturing, quality, capacity, or delivery issues.
• Technical experience with one or more of the following commodity areas:
  • Airframe and structural assemblies
  • Metallic and composite structures
  • Precision-machined components
  • Landing gear systems and components
  • Engines and propulsion systems
  • Engine mounts and supporting structures
  • Complex mechanical assemblies
  • Castings and forgings
  • Special-process and finished components
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes such as CNC machining, structural fabrication, composite manufacturing, casting, forging, welding, heat treatment, plating, coating, finishing, and mechanical assembly.
• Ability to read and interpret complex engineering drawings, GD&T, bills of material, material specifications, and manufacturing requirements.
• Experience conducting manufacturing process audits, supplier capability assessments, capacity analyses, and production readiness reviews.
• Experience with First Article Inspection requirements and AS9102 documentation.
• Working knowledge of AS9100 quality management systems and aerospace supplier qualification requirements.
• Experience applying structured root-cause analysis and corrective-action methodologies, including 8D, 5-Why, and fishbone analysis.
• Knowledge of PFMEA, control plans, process capability, statistical process control, measurement systems, and inspection methods.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional technical teams and supplier improvement initiatives with limited oversight.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make data-driven technical decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical risks and recovery plans to suppliers and senior leadership.
• Ability to manage multiple supplier development projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to travel to domestic and international supplier facilities as required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.

Preferred qualifications:

• Active U.S. government SECRET security clearance at the time of hire.
• Experience supporting aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, advanced aerospace platforms, or defense programs.
• Direct supplier development experience involving airframe structures, landing gear, turbine engines, propulsion systems, or other flight-critical mechanical hardware.
• Experience supporting the industrialization and production ramp-up of newly designed aerospace components and systems.
• Experience with metallic and composite airframe structures, including tooling, layup, curing, bonding, machining, drilling, trimming, assembly, and inspection.
• Experience with complex machining, tight-tolerance components, special processes, and aerospace material requirements.
• Working knowledge of landing gear manufacturing, including forgings, machining, heat treatment, surface finishing, hydraulics, and mechanical assembly.
• Working knowledge of engine and propulsion manufacturing, including castings, forgings, rotating components, engine mounts, fuel-system hardware, and high-temperature materials.
• Experience leading supplier recovery efforts for critical delivery, capacity, or quality issues.
• Experience with lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, value-stream mapping, process capability analysis, and production-flow optimization.
• Familiarity with NADCAP-controlled special processes.
• Familiarity with FAR, DFARS, ITAR, export compliance, and government contracting requirements.
• Experience working in both prototype and production environments with aggressive schedule and production-rate requirements.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, APICS/ASCM certification, or another relevant professional certification.

$170,000 - $260,000 a year

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 toequal 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.