Senior Staff Engineer, LRV Systems (R6242)

Seattle · San Diego · Washington, D.C. · Dallas · USD 170,000-310,000 / year · 7+ years experience · Onsite · Posted Oct 17, 2026

At a glance

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Staff Engineer for LRV Systems to develop and refine LRV architecture integrating avionics, hydraulics, electrical power distribution, navigation, and launch and recovery mechanisms.
The role involves defining system behavior and safety, managing requirements, and developing CONOPs for transport, deployment, and field operations.

Develop and refine the LRV architecture, integrating avionics, hydraulics, electrical power distribution, navigation, and launch and recovery mechanisms into one vehicle that works reliably.
Define and document LRV modes, states, transitions, and fault responses for transport, emplacement, launch, recovery, and stow.
Support safety analyses (FHA, FMEA, FTA) by defining behavior under fault conditions.
Establish top-level LRV requirements, break them down into subsystem requirements, and maintain traceability across the development lifecycle.
Develop transportation and deployment CONOPs that cover road, air, and ship transportability, rapid relocation, crew workload, and sustainment, and turn these operational needs into system requirements.
Conduct trade studies to evaluate design alternatives, assess technical risks, and ensure the best engineering solutions for mission effectiveness.
Support LRV integration, ground testing, and verification, and support combined LRV and aircraft testing through flight test and operational deployment.
Work with DoD stakeholders, end users, and industry partners to align LRV capabilities and CONOPs with operational requirements.

Typically requires a minimum of 7 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree
Demonstrated experience defining system architecture, behavior logic, and operational modes for complex electromechanical systems
Experience integrating avionics, hydraulic systems, electrical power distribution, and navigation on vehicles, launch and recovery systems, or ground support equipment
Proficiency in MBSE tools such as SysML, Cameo, DOORS, or similar
Experience developing or applying CONOPs, including transportability, deployment, and field operations considerations
Strong background in system integration, test, and performance validation, ideally on a program taken from clean sheet to first operation
Knowledge of DoD acquisition processes and relevant standards (e.g., MIL-STD-882, MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-1275, MIL-STD-1366, MIL-STD-1472)
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, agile environment with shifting priorities
Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance

Experience with launch and recovery systems for Group 4 or Group 5 UAS, catapult or rail launchers, or military tactical vehicles
Experience with expeditionary or distributed operations concepts and their logistics and sustainment needs
Familiarity with modular open system architectures (MOSA) and Government Reference Architectures (GRA)
Prior experience working with defense primes, DoD stakeholders, or government R&D programs
Active Secret or Top Secret clearance