Staff Engineer, Field Service (R6120)

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: At Shield AI, we are developing autonomy solutions that enhance mission effectiveness and operational decision-making. Our Vision Systems / Hivemind Vision portfolio applies computer vision and AI/ML technologies to help defense, government, and commercial customers gain actionable information from optical sensors.  As a Vision Systems Demonstration & Training Specialist on the demonstration and training team, you will support customer demonstrations, operator training, and operational adoption across the portfolio. Working closely with product management, engineering, and business development, you will help customers understand, evaluate, and effectively employ our capabilities.  This role requires operational credibility, technical fluency, and a strong instinct for teaching and customer engagement. The ideal candidate understands the demands facing sensor operators and intelligence teams—including real-time workload, competing mission priorities, and the challenges of integrating multiple sensors and information sources—and brings that perspective to every demonstration, training event, and customer interaction. 

What you'll do:

Demonstration & Operational Support:

Plan and execute customer flight plans for demonstrations that connect product capabilities to specific mission needs and operational workflows. 

Prepare and operate Vision Systems software, sensor interfaces, and associated mission equipment during demonstrations, exercises, and evaluations. 

Support equipment readiness, system configuration, connectivity checks, and field troubleshooting in coordination with engineering and flight operations personnel. 

Apply crew resource management and operational risk management principles to event preparation, execution, and debriefing. 

Assist in development of realistic scenarios, demonstration plans, briefing materials, and measures of success in coordination with product management and business development. 

Training & Standardization:

Develop and deliver operator training, practical exercises, and supporting materials for customers and internal teams. 

Teach system operation, effective employment, and capability limitations in the context of the customer’s mission. 

Assess operator proficiency and adapt instruction to different experience levels and operational backgrounds. 

Develop and maintain procedures, checklists, instructional guides, and standardized demonstration materials. 

Capture lessons learned and incorporate them into training content and operational practices. 

Customer Engagement & Adoption:

Build trusted relationships with operators, instructors, intelligence personnel, and customer program teams. 

Understand customer challenges and help translate them into practical approaches for employing Vision Systems capabilities. 

Support customer onboarding, operational familiarization, and follow-up engagement after demonstrations and training. 

Communicate clearly with operational, technical, and leadership audiences, setting realistic expectations for system performance and employment. 

Help customers understand how product outputs fit into existing mission systems, tactical applications, and intelligence workflows. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Product Feedback:

Translate customer observations into clear descriptions of operational needs, usability issues, and opportunities for improvement. 

Partner with product management and engineering to evaluat …