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Staff Engineer, Quality Assurance (R5358)

Shield AI
Actively Hiring
Wichita Metro Areafull_time$110K - $160KPosted 2 month(s) ago
X-BAT DivisionQuality Assurance
About This Role
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 www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Job Description:

Shield AI is seeking a Quality Assurance to support the development and flight test of the X-BAT program. This role is heavily embedded with flight test and engineering operations and is responsible for ensuring test articles are properly configured, inspected, documented, and ready for safe and effective ground and flight testing.You will work closely with flight test, systems, design, manufacturing, test engineering, and program teams to identify and manage quality risks, resolve discrepancies, maintain configuration and traceability, and ensure test activities are executed in accordance with engineering requirements and approved processes.

What you'll do:

  • Support ground and flight test readiness, including hardware inspections, configuration verification, test article acceptance, and review of test documentation
  • Work directly with flight test and engineering teams to identify, document, and resolve hardware, configuration, process, and test discrepancies
  • Review engineering drawings, specifications, test procedures, work instructions, configuration records, and acceptance criteria
  • Ensure test articles meet applicable engineering, quality, safety, and configuration requirements before testing
  • Support execution of ground and flight test activities, including inspections, test point readiness, discrepancy resolution, and post-test evaluations
  • Manage nonconformances, test discrepancies, and quality records through appropriate containment, investigation, disposition, and corrective action
  • Lead or support root cause analysis and corrective actions for product, process, and test-related issues
  • Identify emerging quality risks and work with engineering and test teams to implement practical mitigations
  • Analyze test and quality data to identify trends, recurring issues, and opportunities to improve development and test processes
  • Support configuration management and traceability of developmental hardware, assemblies, and test articles
  • Ensure objective evidence and quality records are complete and support product and test requirements
  • Promote a culture of safety, technical rigor, accountability, and disciplined execution in developmental test operation
  • Required qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, technology, quality, or related field, or equivalent experience supporting developmental test operations
  • 5+ years of experience supporting developmental and/or operational ground or flight test 
  • Experience working directly with developmental aircraft, complex aerospace hardware, or mission-critical systems
  • Ability to interpret engineering drawings, technical specifications, bills of materials, test procedures, work instructions, and acceptance requirements
  • Comfortable working in a fast-paced developmental test environment with changing requirements and priorities
  • Willingness to work outdoors at test ranges and travel as required
  • Overtime, evening, and weekend coverage as required by flight test operations
  • Preferred qualifications:

  • 10+ years of experience supporting developmental or operational flight test
  • Experience with unmanned aircraft, prototype aircraft, weapons systems, or other mission-critical aerospace systems
  • Experience with flight test readiness, test article acceptance, configuration verification, or post-test inspection
  • Working knowledge of AS9100 and aerospace/defense quality requirements
  • Experience with MRB, NCR, RCCA, CAPA, and other quality processes
  • Experience with configuration management and engineering change processes
  • Familiarity with inspection and measurement methods used for aerospace hardware
  • ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, Six Sigma, or related certification
  • Ready to apply?

    This role is listed by Shield AI. You'll finish your application on their site.

    Apply on Shield AI
    Eligibility & work details

    Work authorization

    No U.S. person or export-control requirement stated in this listing.

    Work arrangement

    On-siteWichita Metro Area

    Travel

    No travel indicated in this listing.

    Estimated application time

    ~2 min to start on the employer site

    Eligibility details are interpreted from the job listing to help you gauge fit. Always confirm citizenship, clearance, and certification requirements with the employer before applying.

    About Shield AI

    Defense technology company building AI pilots for aircraft

    Defense AI
    San Diego, CA
    500-1000 employees
    View Company Profile
    Job Summary
    Employment Typefull_time
    DepartmentX-BAT Division
    CategoryQuality Assurance
    Salary Range$110K - $160K
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