Staff Engineer, Advanced Manufacturing (R6311)

Shield AI is hiring a Staff Engineer, Advanced Manufacturing (R6311) in Seattle, United States. It pays $155k-$230k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Shield AI.

Level's read on this job

Level rates this role Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
Tools and skills the posting cites include MES, Qms and Minitab.
Level classifies it as a senior role.
Level lists 663 other open roles at Shield AI.

AI in this role

Staff Advanced Manufacturing Engineer to lead manufacturing processes, scale operations, and build out production infrastructure.

mesqmsminitabexcel

manufacturing-engineeringlean5spfema

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: As the Staff Advance Manufacturing Engineer, you’ll take ownership of critical manufacturing processes across multiple programs, leading initiatives to increase throughput, reduce costs, and scale our operations. You’ll be instrumental in building out the infrastructure for a new production line supporting a next-generation jet, including selecting and deploying capital equipment, implementing hardware and software tools, and establishing robust production systems. Working across engineering, supply chain, and production, you’ll ensure smooth integration of new technologies and provide mentorship to other engineers. This role is ideal for someone who thrives on cross-functional impact, technical leadership, and factory-scale execution.

What you'll do:

Define the Bill of Process and manufacturing sequence for assigned subassemblies or cells.
Map MBOM to operations, tooling needs, and process controls.
Build ergonomic workstations (height/reach zones, shadow boards, calibrated torque tools, ESD controls, POU materials).
Create visual, operator-ready Work Instructions with torque specs, PPE, inspection points, and MES revision control.
Conduct time studies, compute takt/CT, identify bottlenecks, and lead kaizen improvements.
Establish standardized work, visual controls, job aids, and layered audit systems; iterate with operators.
Capture shop-floor lessons learned defects, build issues, tooling feedback and drive root cause and corrective action.
Partner with Quality on in-process checks, error-proofing, and FAI readiness.
Implement ECOs, validate process updates, and maintain work instructions accordingly.
Tools & Skills: MES/QMS systems, torque analyzers, Minitab/Excel (SPC, capability, DOE), lean/5S, PFMEA, ergonomic assessment tools, Control Plans, Standard Operating Procedures.

Required qualifications:

7+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, production systems, process development, or assembly engineering.
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Mechatronics, or related STEM field.
Experience in prototype manufacturing in a startup or rapid-growth environment.
Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, including machining, composites, avionics and/or assembly.
Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and adapt to changing priorities.

Preferred qualifications:

Knowledge of quality standards, such as AS9100 or ISO 9001.
Proficiency in CAD software
Familiarity with advanced manufacturing technologies, such as additive manufacturing or automation systems.
Hands-on experience with manufacturing equipment and tooling design.
Strong project management skills, including experience managing multiple priorities and deadlines.

Full-time regular employee offer package: Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity Temporary employee offer package: Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment) Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information. ### Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

How we rate this

Staff Engineer, Advanced Manufacturing (R6311) at Shield AI rates 0 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Key facts

Staff Engineer, Advanced Manufacturing (R6311) is an open job at Shield AI.
Level rates this role AI Level 1 of 4: Little AI.
The listed salary is $155k-$230k a year.
The role is based in Seattle, Washington.
The job was posted on October 5, 2026.
Seniority: senior.
Applications are handled by Shield AI. Apply on Shield AI

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Manufacturing EngineeringLean5sPfemaMESQmsMinitabExcel

Questions you could be asked

Tell me about a project where manufacturing engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where lean was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where 5s was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where pfema was part of your work. What did you do?
Walk me through how you've used MES in your day-to-day work.

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: Manufacturing Engineering, Lean, 5s, Pfema, and MES. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.

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