Strategic Sourcing Manager - Mechanical (R5858)

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:

The Strategic Sourcing Manager – Mechanical will lead sourcing strategies for critical mechanical commodities, including airframe structures, precision-machined components, landing gear systems, and propulsion and engine-related hardware. This role will identify and develop suppliers, lead competitive sourcing activities and negotiations, manage supplier performance, and establish long-term agreements that support cost, quality, delivery, and capacity objectives. The manager will partner closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Program Management, and Supplier Development to support new product introduction, production ramp-up, and supply-risk mitigation. The ideal candidate has strong aerospace or defense sourcing experience, can independently manage complex and flight-critical suppliers, and is able to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.