Hardware Reliability Engineer

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia‑Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).

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As a Hardware Reliability Engineer at Shield AI, you will be responsible for ensuring the robustness and long‑term performance of our V‑BAT flight hardware. You’ll work closely with design, manufacturing, and supplier chain to implement design‑for‑reliability best practices and perform reliability verification from concept through production. You will lead environmental and stress testing efforts, including temperature cycling, vibration, HALT, and HASS, conduct failure analysis and materials characterization, and analyze root‑cause investigations for manufacturing non‑conformances and field returns.

You’ll participate in design reviews and FMEA activities, shape material selection and manufacturing requirements, analyze test and field data using reliability modeling tools, and help develop corrective actions and process improvements that elevate hardware reliability across the program.

• You willbe responsible for developing and implementing design-for-reliability best practices, conducting rigorous testing,shaping manufacturing requirements, selecting materials,and analyzingfield datato enhance the robustness ofVBAThardware.
• Perform stress screening, environmental testing, and drive failure analysis to ensureflighthardware meets reliability and performance targets.
• Analyze designs and test results toidentifypotential failure modes and mitigations.
• Collaborate with design engineers to implement design for reliability best practicesearly in design.
• Act as a key stakeholder in reviewing and approving designs for release.
• Participate in design reviews and failure mode effects analysis (FMEA) to assess potential reliability issues.
• Investigate manufacturing non‑conformances and field hardware failures todetermineroot cause.
• Travelasneeded to perform deep dives into supplier processes.
• Develop and recommend corrective actions to address identified reliability issues.
• Utilize reliability modeling and simulation tools to predictsystemperformance and lifespan.
• Stay current with industry trends, advancements, and best practices in hardware reliability engineering.
• Propose and implement process improvements to drive improvements in reliability across the program.

• Technical background inmaterials science,electronics manufacturing processes(PCB fabrication and assembly), hardware reliability concepts, andenvironmentaltest practices.
• Candidate must be self‑starting and come with a growth mindset, with excellent problem‑solving skills and attention to detail.
• Bachelor's degree in Materials Engineering preferred.
  
  Degrees in Mechanical
  
  ORReliability Engineeringalso are acceptable.
• Familiarity with electronics (PCBs, PCBAs, electronic components) and moving mechanical assemblies.
• Team-player with clear and concise written and oral communication skills.
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams to execute product design from concept to production.
• Experience with the project management of technical projects.
• Proficiency in Python, including Num Py, Pandas, Sci Py, Plotly, and Matplotlib.
• Familiarity with relevant industry standards, including IPC, JEDEC, AIAA, AEC, MIL, and SMC standards.

• Master's degree in Materials Engineering preferred. Degrees in Mechanical ORReliability Engineeringalso are acceptable.
• 3+ years of experience in hardware reliability engineering, preferably with a focus on aerospace or automotiveapplications.
• Proficiency in failure analysis techniques and materials characterization methods
• Experience with environmental testing, including temperature cycling, vibration, highly accelerated limit testing (HALT),…