Principal Enterprise Architect, Business Systems & Data
Job description
About the role
Principal Enterprise Architect, Business Systems & Data
Position Overview
Shield AI seeks a Principal Enterprise Architect for Business Systems and Data to define and safeguard the technical foundations of our defense operations. This role is responsible for designing the data and control planes that power our mission-critical systems and directly influence how military and civilian operators manage autonomy in demanding, real-world environments. You will own the long-term integrity of our business applications while keeping flight software and analytical models in close coordination to ensure architectural coherence. Success in this position requires constant collaboration with cross-functional partners, especially as our systems are tested and validated in live operational conditions with evolving requirements. You will establish patterns that align enterprise architecture with aircraft development and simulation roadmaps, ensuring traceability from high-level objectives to implementation details. The decisions you make today will determine the scalability, reliability, and security of our platforms in contested and complex scenarios. This position demands a disciplined thinker who can translate ambiguous operational needs into robust, future-proof technical foundations.
This is a remote, full-time position compensated at a rate of $180,000 to $260,000 annually.
Core Responsibilities
You will manage the orchestration of requirements intake, clarifying technical constraints for both flight and simulation engineering teams to prevent costly redesigns late in the development cycle. A key duty involves designing build patterns that seamlessly connect simulation models with live aircraft telemetry and mission databases to maintain data fidelity across the entire lifecycle. You will coordinate the review of data contracts to guarantee interface stability across distributed deployments and varied operational theaters where connectivity and conditions can fluctuate. Another critical function is guiding ship strategies for configuration-driven releases that accommodate different air vehicle types and operating modes without sacrificing consistency. You will establish partnerships with test organizations to verify system performance across a wide range of mission profiles and environmental conditions. Mapping operator interaction with synthetic environments will be part of your mandate, allowing for the refinement of scenario libraries and training tools that improve readiness. You must balance latency and reliability targets for control loops where vehicle stability and safety are paramount and failure is not an option. Finally, you will document all architectural decisions to facilitate audits, certifications, and long-term system maintenance, ensuring knowledge persists through team changes and regulatory reviews.
Required Qualifications
Candidates must bring a minimum of three years of experience in architecture roles focused on complex systems where technical decisions have direct operational consequences. Enterprise systems experience within defense or aerospace contexts is essential for success in this position due to the regulated and safety-sensitive nature of the work. You must possess deep knowledge of data models, messaging patterns, and integration frameworks specific to these high-stakes domains to ensure interoperability and resilience. Strong skills in diagramming and documentation are required to effectively communicate with both technical and operational staff who depend on clear representations of system behavior. You must demonstrate an unwavering commitment to following defined processes and standards because deviations can impact flight safety and mission outcomes. The ability to obtain and maintain security clearances is mandatory, and candidates must be eligible for background investigations as part of employment conditions. You are expected to work under pressure in an environment where system failures could endanger personnel and national security objectives. Reliability, precision, and a methodical approach to problem-solving are non-negotiable traits for anyone in this role.
Preferred Qualifications
Direct experience with autonomy stacks, simulation platforms, and mission planning tools is highly advantageous for this role because it reduces the learning curve and accelerates the delivery of safe, effective solutions.
Technical Skills and Tools
Proficiency is expected with Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT, X-BAT, and Aechelon platforms to ensure that your designs are grounded in the realities of deployed systems. You will utilize Git, Docker, and Kubernetes for deployment and orchestration to maintain reproducibility and version control across all environments. Programming expertise in Python, TypeScript, and React is necessary to prototype solutions, build tooling, and validate integration points. Database management skills in PostgreSQL and Redis are required to handle persistent state and high-performance caching demands. Messaging and streaming technologies such as NATS and Kafka are part of the standard toolkit to enable real-time data distribution at scale. Monitoring via Prometheus and Grafana is essential for maintaining system health and detecting anomalies before they escalate into critical failures.
Practical Information
Details regarding the application process can be confirmed We encourage interested candidates to review current opportunities there for the most accurate procedural guidance regarding submission windows, required artifacts, and confirmation of remote work policies, compensation specifics, and expected start dates.
About the company
Shield AI, Inc. is an American aerospace and defense technology company based in San Diego, California. The company develops autonomous systems for military and commercial applications, focusing on AI-powered drones and aircraft that operate in GPS-denied and contested environments.