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 www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description:

Do you thrive at the intersection of high-stakes execution and advanced technology? Shield AI is seeking a Director of Production to lead our U.S.-based manufacturing operations and help scale the future of autonomous defense systems. You’ll drive execution across factory floor operations, partner cross-functionally with quality, engineering and supply chain teams, and ensure our production systems are ready for what’s next.

We're looking for a bold, hands-on leader who can inspire teams, architect production systems, and scale operations with intensity, precision, and a clear mission in mind.

What you'll do:

Architect and execute forward-looking production plans that balance scale, agility, and quality—all while meeting demanding cost and delivery goals.

Drive aircraft production capabilities, implementing systems, processes, and staffing to support rapid growth.

Lead high-performance teams across production operations, driving excellence through clear expectations, coaching, and accountability.

Collaborate deeply with quality, engineering, supply chain, and customer operations to integrate design, sourcing, and production workflows.

Champion continuous improvement across every dimension of production: throughput, takt, quality, and cost.

Embed data-driven decision-making into daily operations using KPI dashboards, metrics reviews, and operational cadences.

Drive the adoption of automation, digitization, and advanced manufacturing methods to future-proof our operations.

Serve as a trusted voice to executive leadership—reporting insights, flagging risks, and translating complexity into action.

Required qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, or related field; Master’s preferred.

10+ years of production leadership in advanced manufacturing environments (aerospace, automotive, or similar).

Proven experience building and scaling a manufacturing operation.

5+ years leading large teams in high-precision, high-throughput settings.

Success managing complex outsourced manufacturing or tiered vendor ecosystems.

Deep knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodo

About Shield AI

Defense AI company building the world's best AI pilot for autonomous drones and fighter jets.

View company profile

Similar roles at other companies

Production Supervisor, Hands

1X · Series B · San Carlos, California, United States

Production Scheduler (Starlink Aviation)

Spacex · Pre-IPO · Woodinville, WA

Production Manager

Eleven Labs · Series B · United States

Channels Product Manager, Digital Assets (Director)

Unknown · Singapore

Growth & AI Initiatives Manager

OKX · Private · Singapore, Singapore

Product Manager, New Assets

Alpaca · Series C · Remote - North America - Eastern Time Zone

Role Details

Location

Dallas, Texas

Salary (est. USD)

~$170K - $300K (est. USD)

Estimated based on role seniority, stage (Series F) & industry benchmarks.

How is this calculated?

Seniority Director / VP

Base range $170K – $300K

Department

Production and Supply Chain Leadership

Type

Full-time

Vertical

Robotics

Director of Production (R4782)

Hiring Manager

Job Description