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-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
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Job Description:
The Associate Quality Engineer supports Quality Engineering activities throughout the development of XBAT, a first-of-a-kind aerospace and defense product. This role partners closely with Design Engineering, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Test, Supply Chain, and Program Management to identify and mitigate product and process risks as the product moves from development toward production.
This role will help establish quality into the product development process rather than relying on inspection to detect problems after the fact. The role provides hands-on support for risk management, root cause analysis, verification and validation activities, configuration and change control, nonconformance management, and development process compliance.
This is an early-career engineering role with significant opportunity to develop expertise in aerospace product development, quality engineering, and product assurance.
What you'll do:
Support Quality Engineering activities across the XBAT product development lifecycle.
Partner with Design Engineering to identify product risks and establish appropriate controls.
Participate in design reviews, manufacturing readiness reviews, test reviews, and other development milestones from a quality perspective.
Support investigation and root cause analysis of prototype, test, and manufacturing failures.
Lead or support RCCA activities using structured problem-solving methodologies.
Support management of nonconforming material and prototype hardware, including containment, investigation, disposition, and documentation.
Evaluate engineering and manufacturing changes for quality risks and support implementation of appropriate verification activities.
Support development of inspection, test, and verification strategies based on product risk.
Support First Article Inspection and other product verification activities as XBAT transitions toward production.
Support audits and assessments of XBAT development processes against AS9100, customer, contractual, and program requirements.
Develop and maintain quality documentation, procedures, checklists, and objective evidence.
Required qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
0–3 years of engineering, quality, manufacturing, test, or related experience.
Preferred qualifications:
Internship, co-op, or project experience in aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, electronics, or other complex product development.
Familiarity with AS9100 or other aerospace/quality management systems.
Experience with root cause analysis, 8D, RCCA, CAPA, DMAIC, or similar methodologies.
Familiarity with FMEA, risk management, or reliability engineering.
Experience participating in design reviews, test activities, or product development projects.
Understanding of configuration management and engineering change processes.
Familiarity with GD&T and engineering drawings.
