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:
We are seeking an intellectually curious, learning-agile, and strategic Senior Executive Recruiter to identify and attract exceptional leaders who will help shape Shield AI's future. As a fast-growing defense technology company, our hiring priorities evolve quickly, requiring adaptability, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate ambiguity while delivering results.
Reporting to the Head of Executive Search, the Senior Executive Recruiter – Hivemind will independently lead complex senior leadership searches across Shield AI's Hivemind Autonomous Software business, identifying leaders responsible for developing and scaling next-generation autonomy and AI-powered software systems. This includes executive recruiting across Autonomy, Robotics, Perception, Planning, Controls, Embedded Software, Distributed Systems, Simulation, Machine Learning, Infrastructure, and other highly specialized software engineering disciplines.
This senior individual contributor will own the full executive search lifecycle, from intake and market mapping through candidate assessment, offer negotiation, and close. The ideal candidate combines strong executive search fundamentals, business acumen, executive presence, operational rigor, and exceptional talent judgment. Success requires quickly developing expertise across specialized technical disciplines, translating complex engineering requirements into effective recruiting strategies, building trusted relationships with senior leaders, and delivering high-quality hiring outcomes.
You will partner closely with business leaders, People Experience (PX) Business Partners, and Talent Acquisition colleagues to develop targeted search strategies aligned with business priorities.
Our Talent Acquisition team actively embraces AI and automation to accelerate research, improve decision-making, streamline execution, and create more capacity for high-value recruiting activities. We seek individuals who continuously identify innovative ways to improve executive search effectiveness.
What you'll do:
Executive Search Strategy & Execution
- Independently manage complex executive and senior leadership searches from intake and position scoping through market mapping, assessment, offer negotiation, and acceptance.
- Partner with senior leaders to define role requirements, success profiles, assessment criteria, search strategies, and hiring milestones.
- Identify, engage, and cultivate relationships with high-caliber passive executive talent across aerospace and defense, AI, autonomy, robotics, software, and adjacent enterprise technology markets.
- Build targeted executive talent pipelines supporting immediate and anticipated leadership hiring needs.
- Execute searches across highly specialized software engineering disciplines, including Autonomy, Robotics, Perception, Planning, Controls, Embedded Software, Distributed Systems, Simulation, Machine Learning, Infrastructure, and related technical domains.
- Anticipate search challenges, adjust strategies, and maintain accountability for hiring outcomes.
Executive Stakeholder Partnership
- Serve as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders, hiring managers, and PX Business Partners across assigned functions.
- Provide consultative guidance on talent availability, market dynamics, compensation expectations, and competitive positioning.
- Establish consistent communication and reporting cadences to maintain stakeholder alignment, transparency, and accountability.
- Influence hiring decisions through market intelligence, candidate insights, and evidence-based recommendations.
- Proactively manage expectations, resolve obstacles, and navigate competing priorities constructively.
Executive Assessment & Candidate Experience
- Conduct comprehensive executive assessments evaluating technical expertise, leadership capabilities, business impact, and alignment with Shield AI's mission and values.
- Apply structured interviews, competency frameworks, and assessment tools to support informed hiring decisions.
- Deliver clear, balanced candidate evaluations highlighting strengths, development areas, and potential risks.
- Partner with interview teams to drive consistent candidate calibration and effective selection decisions.
- Deliver an exceptional candidate experience while building long-term relationships with executive talent.
Market Intelligence & Talent Mapping
- Develop deep knowledge of executive talent markets across autonomy, robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, embedded software, and related software engineering disciplines.
- Partner with Global Talent Sourcing to execute targeted market mapping, competitive research, and candidate identification strategies.
- Provide actionable insights on talent availability, organizational structures, compensation trends, and competitive hiring practices.
- Leverage recruiting technology, research tools, and analytics to improve sourcing effectiveness, candidate engagement, and search outcomes.
Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
- Execute searches using established executive recruiting processes, assessment methodologies, tools, and templates.
- Maintain accurate, timely candidate and pipeline information in applicant tracking and recruiting systems.
- Track and communicate search metrics, including pipeline health, candidate conversion, search velocity, and hiring outcomes.
- Identify opportunities to improve recruiting efficiency, assessment quality, and stakeholder and candidate experience.
- Contribute executive search expertise and best practices to strengthen team processes and execution.
- Collaborate with Talent Sourcing, Recruiting Operations, Total Rewards, PX, and business stakeholders to achieve shared hiring objectives.
Leverage AI to Raise the Bar
- Integrate AI and automation into recruiting workflows to improve speed, quality, and effectiveness throughout the executive search lifecycle.
- Apply AI to talent research, market mapping, sourcing strategy, intake preparation, candidate engagement, interview preparation, and recruiting analytics.
- Identify repetitive or low-value activities that can be automated, creating more capacity for strategic partnership, candidate relationships, and assessment.
- Experiment with emerging AI tools, evaluate their impact, and share successful practices across Talent Acquisition.
- Exercise sound judgment regarding where human expertise, discretion, relationship-building, and decision-making remain essential.
Teamwork & Collaboration
- Build trusted, collaborative relationships across Talent Acquisition, People Experience, Total Rewards, and business leadership.
- Share market intelligence, candidate insights, and executive search best practices to strengthen team effectiveness.
- Demonstrate humility, openness to feedback, and respect for diverse perspectives.
- Contribute to broader recruiting priorities while maintaining ownership and accountability for assigned searches.
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant professional experience.
- 8+ years of progressive executive recruiting or search experience, including independently managing complex senior leadership searches.
- Demonstrated experience recruiting VP+ and other senior technical executives across Autonomy, Robotics, Perception, Planning, Controls, Embedded Software, Distributed Systems, Simulation, Machine Learning, Infrastructure, or related software engineering disciplines.
- Experience recruiting senior technical leaders within aerospace, defense, artificial intelligence, autonomy, software engineering, or related technology industries.
- Proven ability to translate complex technical requirements into actionable recruiting and sourcing strategies across highly specialized software engineering disciplines.
- Strong executive sourcing, market mapping, passive candidate engagement, and assessment capabilities.
- Proven ability to build credibility, advise, and influence senior-level hiring stakeholders.
- Strong business acumen, executive presence, communication, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.
- Experience applying structured executive assessments and competency-based interviewing methodologies.
- Ability to manage multiple complex searches simultaneously while maintaining high standards of quality, execution, and candidate experience.
- Proficiency with applicant tracking systems, candidate relationship management platforms, and recruiting analytics tools.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience recruiting executives within high-growth, mission-driven technology organizations.
- Familiarity with executive compensation, equity programs, and complex offer negotiations.
- Experience operating within global or matrixed organizations.
- Demonstrated ability to build diverse executive talent pipelines and support equitable hiring practices.
- Experience partnering with executive search firms and external research providers.
- Strong understanding of organizational dynamics and technical leadership structures.
- Ability to bring structure to ambiguity and thrive in fast-paced, evolving environments.
- Collaborative, personable, adaptable, and calm under pressure, with a positive approach to changing priorities.
Shield AI Values & Leadership Principles:
What success looks like:
- Search Execution: Independently deliver complex executive searches, consistently building strong candidate pipelines and achieving high-quality hiring outcomes.
- Strategic Partnership: Earn the confidence of senior leaders through business acumen, market intelligence, sound talent judgment, and proactive communication.
- Operational Excellence: Demonstrate disciplined execution, accountability, and the ability to navigate ambiguity while managing competing priorities.
- Innovation & Collaboration: Leverage AI and recruiting technology to improve efficiency and effectiveness while contributing to team success and continuous improvement.
This role requires substantial independence, strong functional expertise, and ownership of executive search outcomes while contributing to broader recruiting priorities within the strategic direction established by Talent Acquisition leadership.
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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.
