Senior Staff Technical Program Manager (R5595)

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:

Shield AI is a venture-backed defence technology company building intelligent autonomous systems for aircraft. Our mission is to protect service members and civilians through AI and autonomy.

We’re looking for a Technical Program Manager to join our Port Melbourne team, leading the development, integration, and deployment of the world’s best AI pilots across a range of transformative autonomous systems (UAVs, USVs, UUVs).

This is a high-impact, hands-on role working at the centre of our growing Australian operations. You’ll manage complex engineering programmes from early concept through to field testing and deployment — and work directly with customers, defence stakeholders, and internal teams to make it happen.

What you'll do

• Lead and deliver end-to-end technical program management leverage your industry knowledge to shape/define program and organizational objectives
• Oversee the full programme lifecycle – initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure – ensuring exceptional outcomes.
• Fulfil contractual and customer deliverables with precision, timeliness, and clarity.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government, defence, suppliers, and technical teams.
• Operate with sensitivity to cultural, political, and military dynamics across domestic and international partnerships.
• Conduct critical path analysis, manage earned value tracking, and report on programme health metrics.
• Proactively identify and mitigate risks and blockers.
• Lead organised, efficient meetings with clear actions and follow-up.
• Support business development efforts, including EOIs, RFTs, RFIs, proposals, and unsolicited submissions.

Required qualifications

• Significant experience as a technical project or programme manager in complex engineering or technology domains.
• Proven track record of delivering complex, cross-functional projects aligned with long-term business strategy.
• Experience managing 0→1 product development cycles.
• Strong commercial understanding of project financials, including earned value management, estimates at completion, and contract data requirements.
• Proficiency in project management tools (e.g. Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Vena, Salesforce).
• Experience working with or within the Australian Defence Force.
• Outstanding communication, leadership, organisation, and influencing skills.
• A proactive, dependable, and collaborative mindset — you work hard, uphold high standards, and support your team.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with software or autonomy development programmes.
• Familiarity with the ASDEFCON (or equivalent) contracting suite.
• Exposure to multi-national teams, flight test campaigns, or airworthiness certification.
• PMP or Certified Scrum Master (CSM) accreditation.
• Experience working with or managing international defence related projects.