Shield AI · 7 hours ago
Manager, Fleet Maintenance (R4460)
Dallas, Texas
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$110K/yr - $170K/yr
5+ years expShield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company focused on protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. They are seeking a Manager of Fleet Maintenance to lead maintenance operations for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) aircraft, ensuring fleet readiness and safety while managing a team of technicians.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)Autonomous VehiclesDronesMachine LearningNational Security
Responsibilities
Own fleet maintenance execution, readiness status, and aircraft availability for assigned UAS platforms
Serve as the primary authority for maintenance prioritization, including the ability to ground aircraft when required for safety or configuration reasons
Assess incoming maintenance requests and discrepancies, prioritizing work based on operational impact, safety risk, and fleet availability
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of maintenance technicians, fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and technical excellence
Manage technician staffing, scheduling, workload balancing, and performance feedback
Recruit, onboard, and train maintenance personnel to support current and future fleet demand
Address personnel matters including conflict resolution, performance management, and disciplinary actions when necessary
Oversee all shop-based maintenance activities for UAS aircraft and associated GSE, including inspections, repairs, upgrades, and testing
Develop and maintain daily and weekly maintenance schedules to optimize technician utilization and minimize aircraft downtime
Monitor maintenance execution using workflow or CMMS tools, identifying risks, bottlenecks, and recovery actions
Implement contingency plans for unplanned maintenance, parts shortages, or schedule disruptions
Maintain configuration control and ensure maintenance actions align with approved engineering baselines and procedures
Identify recurring discrepancies, reliability trends, and systemic issues across the fleet and elevate findings to Engineering and Program leadership
Support incorporation of engineering changes, modifications, and upgrades into the fleet in a controlled and traceable manner
Enforce maintenance safety practices, quality standards, and procedural discipline across all shop activities
Conduct internal audits, inspections, and corrective actions to ensure compliance with company maintenance standards
Ensure accurate maintenance records, logbooks, and documentation to support traceability and audit readiness
Develop strategies to scale maintenance operations in alignment with company growth, including staffing, facilities, tooling, and processes
Optimize shop workflows and maintenance processes to reduce turnaround time and increase fleet availability
Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs) such as aircraft uptime, maintenance throughput, cost drivers, and technician productivity
Qualification
Required
5+ years of experience in aviation or UAS maintenance environments, including hands-on exposure to aircraft maintenance operations
Demonstrated experience leading or supervising maintenance personnel in a high-tempo operational environment
Strong technical understanding of aircraft or UAS systems and maintenance workflows
Proven ability to prioritize competing maintenance demands while balancing safety, schedule, and operational impact
Experience coordinating across engineering, flight operations, and supply chain organizations
Strong organizational, planning, and execution skills with the ability to independently manage multiple priorities
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Proficiency with maintenance management, workflow tracking, or scheduling tools
Demonstrated leadership qualities including accountability, trustworthiness, high standards, and professionalism
Preferred
FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification
Previous leadership experience in a military aviation, MRO, or high-reliability maintenance organization
Direct experience supporting Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or experimental aircraft programs
Familiarity with configuration control, discrepancy tracking, or fleet health analytics
Experience supporting rapid growth or scaling maintenance organizations
Benefits
Bonus
Benefits
Equity
Temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Company
Shield AI
Shield AI is a deep-tech company that focuses on developing AI-powered systems to enhance the safety of service members and civilians.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Shield AI has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (3)
2024 (3)
2021 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$1.31BKey Investors
Hercules CapitalUS Innovative Technology FundSnowpoint Ventures
2025-03-06Series F· $240M
2023-12-29Debt Financing· $200M
2023-10-31Series F· $300M
Leadership Team
Gary Steele
Chief Executive Officer
Brandon Tseng
Co-Founder
Recent News
2026-01-24
Morningstar.com
2026-01-19
Dynamic Business
2026-01-19
Company data provided by crunchbase