Software Engineering Manager, Hardware Test (X-BAT) (R6020)

<div> <div>Opening from US - X-BAT with ITAR exposure, S/SAR Clearance</div> <div> <div><span data-contrast="auto">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&nbsp;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&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://shield.ai/"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">www.shield.ai</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">. Follow Shield AI on&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/shield-ai"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">LinkedIn</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">,&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://x.com/shieldaitech"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">X</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">,&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/shield_ai"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">Instagram</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">, and&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/@Shield_AI"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">YouTube</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}">&nbsp;</span></div> </div> </div><h3></h3><div> <h3 data-renderer-start-pos="57" tabindex="-1" id="About-Shield-AI">About Shield AI</h3> <p data-renderer-start-pos="74">Shield AI develops AI-powered autonomy software and aircraft systems that protect service members and civilians by enabling intelligent operations in contested environments. As part of the X-BAT program, you will help develop and validate next-generation autonomous aircraft and mission-critical hardware that must perform reliably in demanding operational conditions.</p> <h3 data-renderer-start-pos="444" tabindex="-1" id="The-Role">Job Description:</h3> <div> <p data-renderer-start-pos="54">Shield AI is seeking a Software Engineering Manager to lead the X-BAT Hardware Test Software team. This team builds and sustains automated production test stands used to functionally test avionics and aircraft electrical assemblies.</p> <p data-renderer-start-pos="288">You will lead software engineers developing test frameworks, station-control software, equipment interfaces, data collection, and automated pass/fail evaluation. Our systems interact with custom fixtures, instrumentation, embedded devices, FPGA-enabled hardware, and avionics units under test.</p> <p data-renderer-start-pos="583">The ideal candidate has managed engineering teams and has personally built or led the development of automated hardware test systems used in production, manufacturing, qualification, or other high-consequence environments. You know what robust test automation looks like: safe operation, repeatable results, useful diagnostics, configuration control, traceability, maintainability, and a practical path from prototype to sustained production use.</p> </div> </div><h3>What You'll do:</h3><div> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="1049">Lead, mentor, and grow a team of software engineers supporting X-BAT avionics production test.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="1147">Own the technical roadmap and execution for automated test stands, reusable test frameworks, station software, and test-data systems.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="1284">Build scalable Python-based software for test sequencing, instrument and fixture control, unit-under-test communication, measurement collection, pass/fail evaluation, and reporting.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="1284">Guide software architecture, code quality, configuration management, CI/CD, release processes, documentation, and operational support.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="1607">Partner closely with electrical engineers to translate avionics interfaces, functional requirements, and failure modes into automated test coverage.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="1759">Partner with mechanical engineers to ensure fixtures, cabling, connectors, serviceability, safety, and operator workflows support reliable production testing.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="1921">Work with FPGA and embedded-software teams to configure, communicate with, and validate FPGA-enabled avionics hardware.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="2044">Improve test coverage, station uptime, throughput, failure triage, test repeatability, and traceability.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="2152">Establish metrics and processes for regression health, station reliability, first-pass yield, retest rate, false failures, and recurring failure modes.</p> </li> <li data-renderer-start-pos="2307">Support root-cause analysis across the unit under test, fixture, instrumentation, test software, embedded software, FPGA behavior, and electrical interfaces.</li> </div><h3>Required Qualifications: </h3><div> <ul data-indent-level="1" style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="2495">5+ years of experience in software engineering, test automation, embedded systems, hardware-integrated software, manufacturing test, avionics, aerospace, robotics, automotive, industrial systems, or similar fields.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="2713">2+ years of direct people-management experience leading software, test, or hardware-integration engineers.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="2823">Demonstrated experience building, deploying, and sustaining automated functional-test systems for complex hardware.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="2942">Strong Python experience, particularly for automation frameworks, hardware communication, instrument control, data acquisition, and test orchestration.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="3097">Experience with C++ or C in embedded, systems, device-control, or hardware-facing applications.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="3196">Experience working directly with electrical hardware, test fixtures, instrumentation, and devices under test.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="3309">Familiarity with FPGA-enabled hardware and the ability to work effectively with FPGA engineers on system-level test and debug.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="3439">Familiarity with common interfaces and protocols such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, UDP, serial, CAN, SPI, I2C, USB, GPIO, PCIe, or JTAG.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="3571">Experience with Git, code review, automated testing, CI/CD, release management, and configuration control.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="3681">Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively across software, electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, and program teams.</p> </li> </ul></div><h3>Preferred Qualifications: </h3><div> <ul data-indent-level="1" style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="3851">Experience developing automated production test equipment for avionics, aerospace, defense, autonomous systems, robotics, or other mission-critical hardware.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="4012">Experience designing reusable test frameworks rather than only writing one-off test scripts.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="4108">Experience with programmable power supplies, electronic loads,, DAQ systems, digital I/O, network equipment, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, or custom test fixtures.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="4277">Experience with FPGA programming, bitstream management, register-level control, JTAG, board bring-up, or FPGA-adjacent debug.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="4406">Experience with embedded Linux, microcontrollers, board-support packages, device drivers, or real-time systems.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="4521">Experience with production traceability, serial-number tracking, test-result databases, calibration workflows, manufacturing systems, or quality systems.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="4678">Experience in a regulated, safety-critical, mission-critical, or configuration-controlled engineering environment.</p> </li> </ul></div>