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Shield AI

a16z portfolio company

Senior Engineer, Cybersecurity (R6438)

Location
Seattle, Washington
Work arrangement
On-site
Job type
Full-time
Compensation
USD 142,000–213,000

About the role

Posted Oct 24, 2026

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. 

We are seeking a Senior Cybersecurity Engineer to lead cybersecurity activities for an airborne aerospace and defense platform. This role will integrate cybersecurity across avionics, mission systems, aircraft networks, communications, embedded software, and ground-support systems.

What You'll Do

  • Develop the platform’s cybersecurity architecture, requirements, and protection strategy.
  • Perform threat modeling, vulnerability assessments, attack-surface analysis, and cyber risk assessments.
  • Define protections for secure boot, authentication, access control, encryption, key management, software updates, and data communications.
  • Apply defense-in-depth across aircraft systems, networks, radios, data links, and external interfaces.
  • Lead DoD Risk Management Framework activities and develop required authorization evidence.
  • Evaluate hardware, software, firmware, and supplier designs for cybersecurity risks.
  • Develop cybersecurity verification plans and support vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and cyber-resiliency testing.
  • Coordinate risk mitigation and corrective actions with engineering teams, suppliers, customers, and program leadership.
  • Ensure cybersecurity solutions support aircraft safety, availability, and mission effectiveness.

What You'll Bring

    Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, computer engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, systems engineering, or a related field.
  • Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree.
  • Experience with aircraft, aerospace, defense, or other mission-critical embedded systems.
  • Knowledge of avionics, mission systems, platform networks, communications, or data links.
  • Experience with threat modeling, secure system architecture, vulnerability analysis, and security testing.
  • Familiarity with DoD RMF, NIST security guidance, cryptography, and key management.
  • Strong technical leadership, writing, and customer communication skills.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance.
  • Preferred Qualifications

  • Cybersecurity experience on military aircraft, unmanned aircraft, or airborne mission systems.
  • Familiarity with NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-160, DO-326A, DO-355, and DO-356A.
  • Experience with anti-tamper, program protection, supply-chain risk management, or cross-domain solutions.
  • Experience supporting cyber testing, penetration testing, or adversarial assessments.
  • Relevant certification such as CISSP, Security+, CEH, or GIAC.
  • Active U.S. security clearance.
#LI-AD6

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. 

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At a glance

Location
Seattle, Washington
Workplace
On-site
Employment
Full-time
Team
X-BAT Division
Compensation
USD 142,000–213,000
Apply for this role

You’ll be taken to Shield AI to apply.

The company

Shield AI

Shield AI

Shield AI's mission is to protect service members and innocent civilians with artificially intelligent systems. Our initial focus is on the last several miles of the battlefield where we lack capability to collect intelligence. This area is beyond the view of high altitude sensors, too dangerous for people, and too complex for robots to navigate. Consequently, service members are asked to make life altering decisions with limited information. Mistakes are made that cost lives and incur massive collateral damage. Such mistakes cause the United States to lose support of local populations and make conflict unwinnable. This problem is widely recognized throughout the DoD, including the most senior leadership. To address this problem, we are building swarms of small intelligent robots to collect the critical missing information. The systems will scour indoor and outdoor spaces in search of threats and innocent people. They will be deployed by people, trucks, ships, aircraft, and other robots. These robots will become more numerous in combat areas than soldiers. Synthesized information will be presented to service members who will be empowered to make decisions leading to intended outcomes without collateral damage. Conflict becomes less brutal.

Series G

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