Staff Engineer, Operational Safety Specialist (R6049)

Staff Engineer, Operational Safety Specialist (R6049) at Shield AI scores 35 out of 100 on AI centrality, which makes it AI Level 1 of 4 (Little AI) on this board. The level measures how much of the work is AI, not seniority.

Dallas, TexasleadFull Time Employee$120k-$180k

AI in 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:

The Operational Safety Specialist will help build the operational safety framework required to move a next-generation autonomous aircraft from development and flight test into safe, repeatable field operations. This full-time role combines hands-on operational support with disciplined documentation, readiness assessment, and program development. The specialist will translate technical risk decisions into clear policies, procedures, safety evidence, and emergency response capabilities for demanding environments.

You will work closely with Airworthiness, System Safety, Flight Test, Engineering, Ground Operations, Security, Facilities, and Program leadership to identify operational hazards, maintain safety documentation, and close readiness gaps. This role is ideal for an aviation safety professional who can move between the flightline and the written safety baseline, manage multiple priorities, and build practical processes that keep pace with a rapidly evolving aircraft program.