Applications Engineer, Learning & Development- Open Level (R5053)
Application analysis
Applications Engineer, Learning & Development- Open Level (R5053) at Shield AI is a forward deployed defense / aerospace role for engineers who want customer-facing technical work with real deployment ownership.
Reading this role
This Technical customer-facing role role centers on hands-on work with customers to ship and adopt technical products. Key signals from the listing: Customer on-site travel.
About Shield AI
Defense technology companies combine startup velocity with government deployment constraints and security requirements. The role is anchored in Washington, DC, so expect on-site customer work in that region.
Signals in the listing
Stand out for Applications Engineer, Learning & Development- Open Level (R5053)
- Lead your application with one paragraph tying Applications Engineer, Learning & Development- Open Level (R5053) to a specific customer or deployment you owned — Shield AI hires for shipped outcomes, not tool lists.
- Mirror language from the job description in your examples — if they emphasize deployment, use deployment stories; if integration, use integration stories.
- Include a short “how I work with customers” section in your cover note: communication cadence, escalation instincts, and how you handle ambiguity.
- This role is tied to Washington, DC — mention willingness to work on-site with customers and any existing ties to that market (clients, partners, or domain knowledge).
Stand out at Shield AI
- Demonstrate clearance readiness with a concrete example — Shield AI will probe for specifics, not buzzwords.
- Demonstrate operational rigor with a concrete example — Shield AI will probe for specifics, not buzzwords.
- Highlight classified or regulated environment experience and comfort with on-site customer work.
- Read recent engineering blog posts, product launches, and customer stories on shield.ai — reference one explicitly in your outreach to show genuine interest.
Tailored from this listing’s title, company, and description. Always verify requirements on the company careers page before applying.
Role description
Founded in 2015, 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 and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. 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 seeking an Autonomy Applications Engineer, Learning & Development to help accelerate customer adoption of Hivemind through world-class technical training and enablement. This is a highly technical, customer-facing role for someone who is equally comfortable mastering complex autonomy software, building cutting-edge training content, and leading in-person training engagements with customer engineers and technical stakeholders. In this role, you will become a deep expert in the Hivemind software stack and serve as a trusted resource for customers learning to build autonomy with Hivemind. You will develop and maintain training materials, deliver instructor-led training, and help translate product complexity into clear, effective, mission-relevant learning experiences. You will also work closely with internal engineering, product, and go-to-market teams to ensure training content stays aligned with the latest product capabilities and field feedback. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys teaching, building, and solving technical problems at the intersection of software, autonomy, and customer success. This role includes approximately 30% travel for customer site visits specifically to facilitate in-person training engagements.