Senior Staff Technical Program Manager (R6267)

San Diego, California DRONES Full-time $180k to $270k Posted Oct 15, 2026
Apply on Shield AI (opens in a new tab) Sourced via jobs.lever.co · Posted 2026-10-15

About this role

Shield AI is hiring a Senior Staff Technical Program Manager (R6267), full-time, on-site in San Diego, California, in the DRONES sector.

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:

As Technical Program Manager you will be responsible for key components of Hivemind Enterprise, a software development kit that enables both Shield AI and third parties to create a new generation of unmanned systems and mission applications that deliver transformative capabilities for the U.S. and its allies. You will work with sponsors, product managers, designers and a talented cross-functional engineering team to lead on-time, on-quality software releases.

What you'll do:

  • Drive the planning, execution, and delivery of complex software releases for the Hivemind Enterprise platform
  • Drive major initiatives building out command and control interfaces for autonomous systems
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineering, product management, design and customer engagement
  • Develop detailed project plans, including timelines, milestones, and resource allocation, ensuring adherence to budget and schedule
  • Monitor project progress, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies to ensure successful project completion
  • Facilitate regular communication with stakeholders, providing updates on project status, challenges, and accomplishments
  • Drive continuous improvement in project management processes, tools, and methodologies
  • Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence within the program management team
  • Facilitate technical decision making to appropriately prioritize work and make complex trades
  • Reinforce Shield AI's reputation for technical excellence and ability to deliver through expert engagement and disciplined execution

Required qualifications:

  • B.S. in Computer Science, or a related field with 8+ years of work experience in Program Management, Engineering Management or Software Engineering; alternative degrees are acceptable if professional experience is focused in testing Enterprise Software, Artificial Intelligence, or Robotics
  • Experience driving releases of complex software and integrated HW/SW systems
  • You have a track record of driving results, not just providing status
  • You have solid technical foundations in software development, with deep knowledge of how to optimize the software development lifecycle
  • You have the ability to recognize efficiency and inefficiency in projects and prioritize remedies based on accurate cost-benefit analysis
  • You are an exceptional, fundamentals-driven problem solver and communicator
  • You have a demonstrated record of setting and achieving goals in dynamic environments, working hard, being a trustworthy teammate, holding yourself and others to high standards, and being kind to others
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
  • Power user of Jira or work management tools

Preferred qualifications:

  • Advanced degree in Computer Science or MBA
  • Previous experience as a software developer or a test engineer
  • Previous experience driving software releases for enterprise software used by software engineers
  • Passionate about User Experience Design
  • Aviation domain experience
  • Autonomy, AI, ML expertise
  • PMP, Scrum Master, or similar qualifications
#LI-DS5 #LE

Description from Shield AI's official posting. Always confirm details on the company careers page.

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About Shield AI

Shield AI

Company in the mobility sector tracked nightly on the Mobility Jobs board.

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Larry Sherwood Jr.

About Larry Sherwood Jr.

Talent Acquisition Leader specializing in mobility, EV, and frontier tech. 1,000+ hires across roles ranging from production technicians to VPs, including 48 hires for the AFEELA U.S. launch at Sony Honda Mobility (98% offer acceptance, $1.5M+ agency savings). SHRM-CP certified. Build recruiting functions from scratch, no agencies.

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Curated by Larry Sherwood Jr. on the free Mobility Jobs board. Pulled nightly from company applicant tracking systems. Apply directly on the source link above to be considered.