Principal Engineer, Electrical (R5909)

San Diego, CaliforniaV-BAT Division – V-BAT Engineering - Electrical /Full Time Employee /On-siteShield 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-BAT aircraft, 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. Job Description:Shield AI is pioneering AI pilots for aircraft that protect service members and civilians - pushing the boundaries of autonomous flight. V-BAT is designed for deployment in the most demanding, high-stakes environments. We are looking for an Electrical Engineer to join our team, focused on the design, integration and troubleshooting of electronics systems critical to our aircraft. This role is perfect for an engineer with a solid foundation in power, embedded and control systems who is eager to grow, own challenging projects, and see their work move rapidly from concept to flight. If you thrive in fast-paced environments, enjoy solving complex problems, and want to help build the future of autonomous aviation, we want to hear from you.What you'll do:Own flight critical avionics designs for V-BATOwn circuit and sub-system design for V-BAT and its support equipment. This includes complex system architectures utilizing custom circuitry (power management, analog, digital, servos, microcontrollers, sensors, radios, etc.) Lead others to execute design, verification, and manufacturing deploymentProvide mentorship and technical feedback to others on the power team and cross-functionallyHarden the designs for harsh environments such as shock/vibe, high reliability, radiation, and high-altitudeFull-cycle hardware development: Own the entire flow - concept, modeling, worst case analysis, schematic capture, simulation, prototyping, design reiteration for improving design maturity, testing and validationPCB ownership: Drive PCB layout and design with ECAD engineers, optimizing for power density, EMI, thermal, and manufacturabilityDesign for Safety, Manufacturability and Reliability: Design robust systems keeping in mind best practices for safety, manufacturing and reliabilityCross-functional collaboration: Work closely with Mechanical, CAD, Embedded, Software, Supply Chain, Test Automation, Production and various aircraft teams throughout the product lifecycleDesign review leadership: Lead and contribute to cross-functional reviews ensuring robust, high-integrity engineering decisions. Mentor junior engineers that support your designProgram execution: Manage project timelines, deliverables, and technical milestones to drive on-time, high-quality outcomesHelp define technical product requirements and features Required qualifications:Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering; or equivalent work experience You have 10+ years of industry experience as an Electrical Engineer Strong technical fundamentalsYou are experienced with: circuit design, schematic capture, component selection, circuit testing, and debuggingYou have a demonstrated record of working hard, being a trustworthy teammate, holding yourself and others to high standards, and being kind to othersProactively identify opportunities for improvement within hardware development projects, demonstrating initiative to propose and implement innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, quality, and overall project success and aircraft reliability $210,000 - $310,000 a year#LI-JW4#LFFull-time regular employee offer package:Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + EquityTemporary 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. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.