Staff Engineer, Operational Safety Specialist (R6049)

Job Description:
The Operational Safety Specialist plays a central role in strengthening both proactive and reactive safety programs across Shield AI’s flight operations and ground environments. This position focuses on the execution and continuous improvement of auditing, safety metrics, investigations, and safety promotion activities spanning multiple aircraft programs. The role is instrumental in preparing Shield AI’s safety programs for global scale and growth. 
You will work closely with Flight Safety, Ground Operations, Airworthiness, Engineering, EH&S, and Program teams to ensure operational hazards are identified early, tracked effectively, and addressed through closure. This position is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment; is detail-oriented; and brings strong analytical and communication skills to support the development of a world-class safety culture.

What you'll do:

- Develop, implement, and maintain operational safety policies, standards, and procedures for X-BAT flight, ground, maintenance, test, and field activities.

- Support the Airworthiness team in creating, reviewing, controlling, and maintaining documentation and objective evidence used for airworthiness and readiness decisions.

- Contribute to the development and maintenance of safety cases for all aircraft, including traceability among hazards, operational mitigations, procedures, training, and verification evidence.

- Maintain the Operational Risk Registry and conduct risk assessments for flight test, engine runs, ground operations, launch and recovery, maintenance, and field deployments.

- Support safety reviews, test and operational readiness reviews, fielding assessments, and approval activities by ensuring required artifacts are complete, current, and available to decision-makers and operators.

- Build and maintain Emergency Response Program readiness for X-BAT, including plans, notification protocols, roles, checklists, site coordination, training, exercises, and corrective actions.

- Conduct audits and field observations to assess compliance with approved procedures, identify process drift, and verify that corrective actions are effective.

- Lead or support mishap, near-miss, and emergency-event investigations, including evidence collection, root-cause analysis, reporting, and corrective-action follow-through.

- Develop safety metrics and readiness indicators, and support customer and government safety engagements, documentation requests, and reporting obligations.

- Perform other duties as assigned.

Required qualifications:

- Bachelor's degree in safety, aviation, engineering, emergency management, or a related discipline (or equivalent operational experience).

- 3-5+ years of experience in aviation safety, flight or test operations, UAS operations, military aviation, safety management systems, or emergency response.

- Experience developing or reviewing operational policies, procedures, risk assessments, readiness documentation, or emergency response plans.

- Working knowledge of safety management systems, operational risk management, mishap investigation, corrective action, and emergency preparedness principles.

- Strong technical writing, document-control, and analytical skills, with the ability to turn complex inputs into clear, usable operational products.

- Ability to work effectively across engineering and operational teams, support flightline and test-site activities, travel as needed, and work non-standard hours when operations require it.

Preferred qualifications:

- Experience supporting UAS, autonomous aircraft, military aviation, or developmental flight-test programs.

- Experience supporting airworthiness documentation, safety cases, certification evidence, or operational approval packages.

- Familiarity with MIL-STD-882, DCMA 8210.1, FAA or ICAO safety management frameworks, or similar aviation safety standards.

- Experience developing or exercising aviation emergency response plans, incident command procedures, or emergency operations programs.

- Formal training in mishap investigation, root-cause analysis, human factors, emergency management, or safety auditing.

- Active or eligible security clearance.

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Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
 
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
 
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
 
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.