Shield AIStaff Field Solution Engineer - XBAT - AMER (R6265)
Shield AI is hiring a Staff Field Solution Engineer - XBAT - AMER (R6265) in Washington DC, United States. It pays $180k-$280k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Shield AI.
Level's read on this job
- On Level's scale, this role is Works on AI ●●●○: the daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
- The posting mentions technical sales, aerospace engineering and defense technology among its tools and skills.
- Level classes it as a senior role.
- Shield AI has 656 other open roles on Level.
- Posted within the past two weeks.
AI in this role
Drive technical pre-sales and solution architecture for advanced autonomous aircraft programs in the defense sector.
Job Description:
Shield AI is hiring a Senior Solutions Engineer to support technical sales for a flagship aircraft program currently in early design and development. This role requires a proven leader who has supported large-scale domestic and international defense programs in the conceptual or pre-solicitation phase — ideally in tactical aviation or high-performance unmanned systems. This position will serve as a key technical interface to senior government stakeholders, business development, and engineering leadership, shaping requirements and aligning our product roadmap with future mission needs.
What you'll do:
- Serve as the technical lead supporting pre-sales engagements for a new advanced aircraft platform targeting high-end tactical missions.
- Collaborate with senior leaders across Business Development, Engineering, and Product Management to influence product definition, capability prioritization, and solution alignment with customer operational concepts.
- Support technical capture for domestic and international opportunities in early acquisition phases (e.g., AOAs, RFIs, Requirement Drafts, white papers, unsolicited proposals).
- Shape and translate customer needs into actionable system requirements, roadmaps, and program strategies.
- Develop compelling technical narratives and lead content development for briefings, RFIs, white papers, and proposal volumes.
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with customer technical stakeholders (including U.S. DoD program offices and foreign governments).
- Contribute to internal investment decisions by assessing market signals, competitor activity, and technical feasibility.
- Represent the broader Shield AI solution suite (including autonomy, AI pilots, ISR systems, and mission software) across the pre-sales lifecycle.
Required qualifications:
- 5+ years in technical sales, capture, or engineering roles in defense or aerospace industries, with significant experience interfacing with U.S. DoD and/or international ministries of defense.
- Demonstrated experience supporting government sales in pre-prototype or pre-solicitation phases.
- Demonstrated excellence in presentation skills, organization of technical ideas, and narrative building for a variety of stakeholders at leadership levels with direct customers.
- Experience with programs involving tactical aircraft, fighter jets, or group 5 UAS.
- Proven success contributing to deals valued over $15M.
- Strong systems-level understanding of aircraft design tradeoffs, customer CONOPS, and mission-based engineering.
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, applied science, or equivalent technical discipline.
- Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to clearly translate technical information into compelling sales narratives for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Ability to manage ambiguity, balance competing priorities, and operate independently in a fast-paced startup environment.
- Active U.S. security clearance or ability to obtain one.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience working at a major defense prime (e.g., Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Atomics, Anduril, RTX) or USG in a technical business development, engineering, product management, advanced programs, or strategic pursuits capacity.
- Background in multi-domain operations, autonomy, or networked ISR systems.
- Familiarity with key acquisition programs (e.g., NGAD, CCA, FMS/DCS pathways).
- Advanced degree in engineering or business with applicable focus areas.
- Prior military service experience.
- Prefer relocation to Dallas, TX or Washington DC
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 Field Solution Engineer - XBAT - AMER (R6265) at Shield AI rates 65 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Works on AI (AI Level 3 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Works on AI. The daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
- ●●●● 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.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where technical sales was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where aerospace engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where defense technology was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where proposal writing was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where requirements analysis was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Technical Sales, Aerospace Engineering, Defense Technology, Proposal Writing, and Requirements Analysis. 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.
- Show where AI is part of your daily process, not a one-off project. This role expects it to be a running habit.
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