Technical Program Manager, Mission Autonomy - X-BAT

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: We are looking for an exceptional Technical Program Manager to lead the integration of Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy stack onto X-BAT. This role is embedded within the Aircraft division and serves as a critical coordination point between the aircraft engineering and autonomy software teams to deliver mission-ready autonomous systems.

You will drive alignment across hardware and software development activities, ensuring aircraft, autonomy software, and operational teams remain synchronized throughout the full product lifecycle. This role requires close coordination with distributed engineering teams across Arlington, VA and San Diego, CA. The ideal candidate combines strong technical program management fundamentals with hands-on experience coordinating complex hardware/software integration efforts.

You will drive schedule, cost, technical performance, integration readiness, and operational outcomes while helping define the future of autonomous aviation.