Director, Test Engineering - ACP Programs

About the role

Shield AI is hiring a Hivemind Solutions Flight Test Leader for its ACP (Autonomous Collaborative Platform) programs. You will be the end-to-end technical lead for the integration, verification and operational test of Hivemind AI Pilot capabilities on a portfolio of Group 5 UAS, owning the strategy, planning and execution of multi-phase test campaigns that move autonomy from simulation and lab environments to full-scale flight and mission scenarios, including multi-vehicle coordination.

Key responsibilities

• Act as test leader and technical lead for integration and flight test of Hivemind autonomy on Group 5 ACP systems, including multi-aircraft coordination in LVC and empirical flight tests.
• Own test strategy and execution across the full lifecycle, including system-level verification and validation, test phasing and prioritization across SIL, HIL, simulation, ground and flight test.
• Plan and run large-scale flight test campaigns with cooperative autonomy, human-machine teaming and distributed systems.
• Serve as final authority during mission autonomy tests, directing test conduct and approving test plans, procedures and execution flow.
• Coordinate software, hardware, systems engineering, flight operations, safety and program leadership teams, and define mission-level performance metrics and success criteria.
• Own test infrastructure strategy, including large-scale simulation, SIL/HIL systems, aircraft integration labs and flight test assets.
• Lead on-aircraft integration and flight test with OEM partners, including software deployment, real-time troubleshooting and post-flight data analysis.
• Work with OEMs to set test readiness entry/exit criteria, safety-of-flight and mission risk management, airspace coordination and hazard mitigation, and make go/no-go decisions.
• Establish and scale test processes, standards and best practices aligned with DoD DT&E/OT&E expectations.

Required profile

• Typically 12+ years of experience with a Bachelor's degree, or 10+ years with a Master's or PhD, or equivalent.
• Demonstrated experience leading flight test or large-scale system integration, with authority over test readiness, execution and risk decisions.
• Experience in full-scale aviation test environments and system-level verification and validation across SIL, HIL, simulation and flight.
• Proven ability to plan and run complex, multi-phase flight test campaigns with multiple stakeholders.
• Understanding of safety-of-flight principles, risk management and disciplined test execution in aviation.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a SECRET clearance; U.S. citizenship required.

Required skills

• Proficiency in Python or similar tools for test automation, data analysis or system validation.
• Excellent technical leadership and communication, including briefings to senior leadership and external customers.
• Cross-functional work across software, hardware, avionics, systems engineering, safety and program teams.

Preferred: experience with ACP, loyal wingman or multi-vehicle autonomous systems; prior role as Flight Test Director, Test Conductor or Lead Flight Test Engineer; familiarity with military aviation DT&E/OT&E processes, government flight test ranges, airworthiness and configuration control; knowledge of Git, Jira/Azure DevOps and CI/CD pipelines.