Director, Structures - Design

Director, Aerostructures – X-BAT

Founded in 2015, 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 and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide.

Shield AI was founded to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. We are building the world's best AI pilot and the aircraft that enable autonomy at scale. Our technology operates in complex, contested environments where GPS and communications may be denied, degraded, or unavailable.

The technology we build demands cross-functional teaming and collaborative execution to solve the hardest problems in autonomy, aerospace engineering, and robotics. Engineers at Shield AI do not work in silos — they work shoulder-to-shoulder across disciplines to rapidly move from concept to flight-ready systems deployed in the real world.

X-BAT represents the next generation of autonomous airpower: a runway-independent, AI-piloted aircraft designed to execute missions in highly contested environments. Powered by Hivemind, Shield AI's combat-proven autonomy stack, X-BAT combines long-range performance, survivability, and autonomous mission execution into a scalable operational platform.

As Director of Aerostructures for X-BAT, you will lead the strategy, architecture, development, integration, and scaling of advanced aircraft structures across one of the most ambitious autonomous aviation programs in the industry. You will oversee multidisciplinary structural engineering teams responsible for metallic and composite primary structures, subsystem integration, manufacturability, structural analysis, and flight-worthy execution from prototype through production.

This role requires a technically elite aerospace leader who thrives in fast-moving environments, can build and scale high-performing engineering organizations, and is energized by solving complex problems that directly impact national security.

What you'll do:

• Lead the aerostructures organization for the X-BAT program, including design, analysis, integration, testing, and certification strategy
• Drive development of lightweight, manufacturable, survivable aircraft structures optimized for autonomous combat aircraft operations
• Partner closely with flight sciences, propulsion, avionics, manufacturing, autonomy, flight test, and supply chain teams to deliver integrated aircraft solutions
• Establish engineering processes, design standards, configuration management, and structural development roadmaps across the program lifecycle
• Lead structural trade studies balancing weight, performance, cost, producibility, maintainability, and mission requirements
• Oversee development and validation of composite and metallic airframe structures, including primary load-bearing assemblies
• Build and mentor a world-class aerostructures engineering team capable of rapid execution and technical excellence
• Support transition from development programs into scalable production environments
• Drive root-cause analysis and corrective action efforts for structural, manufacturing, and flight-test findings
• Present technical reviews, program risks, and strategic recommendations to executive leadership and external stakeholders

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• 12+ years of aerospace structural engineering experience, including leadership responsibility on advanced aircraft programs
• Deep expertise in aircraft primary structures, composites, metallic design, structural analysis, and integration
• Experience leading teams through full aircraft development cycles from conceptual design through flight test and production
• Strong understanding of aircraft loads, stress analysis, fatigue, durability, and structural substantiation methodologies
• Experience collaborating across highly integrated aerospace development organizations
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and scale high-performing engineering teams
• Experience operating in fast-paced development environments with aggressive technical schedules
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

Preferred qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Aerospace Engineering or related discipline
• Experience with autonomous aircraft, tactical aviation, unmanned systems, or defense aerospace platforms
• Expertise in composite airframe manufacturing and high-rate production methodologies
• Background supporting low observable, survivability, or expeditionary aircraft design considerations
• Familiarity with military airworthiness standards and defense acquisition environments
• Experience supporting prototype-to-production transitions in venture-backed or high-growth aerospace organizations

$210,000 - $320,000 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 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.