Senior Staff Technical Program Manager (R6267)
Shield AI
San Diego, CA · $180k–$270k a year · Posted October 15, 2026
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Where San Diego, CA placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Cities hosting the most business conferences in the West Coast78 conferences · of 17
- #2Cities hosting the most human resources conferences6 conferences · of 10
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- #3Best cities for aerospace and defense jobs377 openings · of 67
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- #3Cities hosting the most staffing & human capital conferences6 conferences · of 8
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
Among computer occupations, all other, AI is already used for a large share of the tasks. Measured exposure for computer occupations, all other: 31% (high).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
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About the job
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
Full-time regular employee offer package: Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package: Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.