# Senior Staff Engineer, Survivability

**Company**: Shield AI
**Location**: San Diego
**Work arrangement**: onsite
**Experience**: senior
**Job type**: full-time
**Salary**: $170,000 - $250,000 a year
**Category**: Engineering
**Industry**: Technology

**Apply**: https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai/c3703339-0aa5-4d0d-92f9-4c2e2882f7a4?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply
**Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/jobs/job_3788a1c0-195

## Description

At Shield AI, we're building the most intelligent autonomous aircraft ever deployed. As we push the boundaries of what's possible in contested environments, we are looking for a Survivability Engineer to shape and optimize the low observable (LO) performance of our next-generation autonomous aircraft.

This role is ideal for an experienced engineer with expertise in radar cross-section (RCS) shaping, LO materials, and electromagnetic signature modeling who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. You'll work across disciplines to ensure our aircraft can survive, evade, and complete missions in highly contested airspace.

Responsibilities:

* Design and optimize low observable (LO) features across the airframe focusing on shaping, edge treatments, radar-absorbing materials, and subsystem integration.
* Conduct modeling and simulation of electromagnetic signatures using industry-standard tools such as HFSS, CST Studio Suite, Xpatch, and SENTRi.
* Work with multidisciplinary teams in propulsion, avionics, structures, and AI to ensure survivability is baked into the system architecture from day one.
* Lead or support signature testing efforts, including indoor and outdoor RCS range tests, validation campaigns, and supplier-level hardware evaluations.
* Translate mission threats and requirements into survivability features that address RCS, thermal, visual, and acoustic observability constraints.
* Partner with materials scientists to mature radar-absorbing coatings and structural RAM for manufacturability and field durability.
* Support internal and customer assessments, threat modeling reviews, and milestone decisions throughout the program lifecycle.

Required qualifications:

* B.S. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline.
* 10+ years of hands-on experience in LO or survivability engineering, preferably on tactical aircraft, UAVs, or stealth systems.
* Proficiency with EM simulation tools such as HFSS, CST, Xpatch, or SENTRi.
* Strong understanding of RCS shaping principles, edge treatments, cavity suppression, and materials integration.
* Practical experience with LO testing methods and RCS measurement equipment.
* Familiarity with radar-absorbing materials (RAM), LO coatings, and structural LO trade studies.
* Solid collaboration and communication skills with the ability to work across design, test, and manufacturing teams.
* U.S. Citizenship and active Secret clearance required.

Preferred qualifications:

* Experience with military UAV platforms or 5th-gen fighter programs.
* Background in survivability analysis in contested environments (e.g., IADS, radar networks).
* Familiarity with platform CONOPS, threat modeling, and mission-level survivability assessments.
* Ability to contribute to the design, test, and fielding of a fully integrated LO platform.
* Active Top Secret or SCI clearance.

## Skills

### Required
- Radar cross-section (RCS) shaping
- Low observable (LO) materials
- Electromagnetic signature modeling
- HFSS
- CST Studio Suite
- Xpatch
- SENRi
- EM simulation tools
- Radar-absorbing materials (RAM)
- LO coatings
- Structural LO trade studies

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Source: [Apply at jobs.lever.co](https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai/c3703339-0aa5-4d0d-92f9-4c2e2882f7a4?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply)