Staff Engineer – Operations Analyst

About the role

Shield AI is seeking a Staff Engineer, Operations Analyst to lead modeling, simulation, and operational analysis of its autonomous aircraft systems. The role bridges engineering, product development, and defense stakeholders to evaluate mission effectiveness, survivability, and operational impact. You will shape strategy by translating operational insights into design decisions for cutting‑edge AI‑powered platforms.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute operational analysis strategies for autonomous aircraft in realistic military scenarios.
• Lead wargaming, modeling, and simulation efforts using tools such as AFSIM, STK, MATLAB, and Python.
• Conduct trade studies, sensitivity analyses, and force‑on‑force engagements to assess performance under varied threats.
• Collaborate with DoD stakeholders, operators, and warfighters to align system capabilities with mission requirements.
• Produce technical reports, briefings, and recommendations for senior leadership and government agencies.

Required profile

• 7+ years of experience in operational analysis, modeling & simulation, or military operations research.
• Expertise in military mission analysis, wargaming methodologies, and air combat, ISR, or electronic warfare concepts.
• Proven ability to work with DoD stakeholders and present findings to senior audiences.
• Experience applying modern compute and software development best practices to simulation pipelines.

Required skills

• AFSIM
• STK
• MATLAB
• Python
• Cloud/HPC workflows
• Containerization
• Git version control
• CI/CD and automated testing