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. For more information, visit
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Job Description:
We are seeking a highly skilled Staff Electrical Systems Advance Manufacturing Engineer to lead the development, integration, and production support of advanced electrical systems for complex aerospace and defense platforms. This role is responsible for driving manufacturability, production readiness, process development, root cause resolution, and continuous improvement across electrical assemblies and subsystems.
The ideal candidate has deep experience supporting low-rate to high-rate production environments involving avionics, wiring harnesses, PCBAs, power systems, batteries, sensors, and mission-critical electrical hardware.
What you'll do:
Lead manufacturing engineering activities for electrical and avionics systems from prototype through full-rate production
Develop and optimize manufacturing processes, tooling, work instructions, and production flows for:
Wiring harnesses and EWIS
PCB/PCBA assemblies
Avionics systems
Power distribution systems
Batteries and energy storage systems
Sensors and navigation systems
Mission system integration
Partner with design engineering to improve manufacturability, reliability, testability, and producibility
Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions for electrical manufacturing issues
Develop work instructions, quality standards, and inspection methods
Support supplier qualification, process validation, and production readiness reviews
Lead DFM/DFA reviews and transition new products into manufacturing
Develop electrical assembly standards, inspection methods, and quality control processes
Define manufacturing standards, process controls, and acceptance criteria
Support failure analysis and reliability improvement initiatives
Collaborate with production, quality, supply chain, and test engineering teams
Mentor junior manufacturing engineers
Tools & skills:
MES & QMS systems
3DEXPERIENCE / Teamcenter (PLM) systems
Supplier manufacturing processes
5S/visual management
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Required qualifications:
7+ years of manufacturing engineering experience supporting complex electrical systems
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field
Experience in prototype manufacturing in a startup or rapid-growth environment.
Experience with:
Wiring harness manufacturing
EWIS standards
PCB/PCBA manufacturing and assembly
Electrical integration and troubleshooting
Aerospace or defense electrical systems
Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and adapt to changing priorities.
Knowledge of manufacturing process development and production scaling
Strong understanding of DFM/DFA principles
Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies
Preferred qualifications:
Aerospace or defense industry experience
IPC certification familiarity (IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620)
Experience supporting flight hardware or mission-critical systems
Knowledge of automated test systems and electrical validation
Experience with ERP/MES systems and manufacturing data analysis
Strong project management skills, including experience managing multiple priorities and deadlines
Knowledge of quality standards, such as AS9100 or ISO 9001
Proficiency in CAD software