V-BAT Air Vehicle Operator
US$100,000 – US$150,000 / yr base salary
Posted 11 Sep 2026
Advertised as “Senior V-BAT Air Vehicle Operator, Field Integration and Test (R5130)”
BranchFactor Summary
The original posting with the fluff stripped out
- Level
- R5130
- Management level
- People management
- Employment
- On-Site
- Contract
- Full-time
| Base salary | US$100,000 – US$150,000 / yr |
|---|
CertificationsFAA Private Pilot License (PPL), FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
CertificationsFAA Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot License
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:
A Senior Associate V-BAT Operator, AVO, assigned to Field Integration and Test (FIT), supports V-BAT field integration activities and flight operations in CONUS and OCONUS environments. This role supports customer site surveys, system installations, calibration events, aircraft operational checks, training support, and operational handoff activities in coordination with Engineering and Customer Operations teams.
This position extends beyond traditional AVO duties. FIT AVOs support site survey planning and execution, installation readiness, aircraft and ground system setup, calibration support, and post-calibration operational checks. After calibration activities, the FIT AVO works with Deployment Operations to verify aircraft readiness, confirm operational usability and set deployed operators up for successful customer operations.
FIT AVOs support DoD, coalition, and international customers in maritime and land-based environments. This includes austere, high-tempo, shipboard, expeditionary, and customer test environments. Senior Associates are expected to model professionalism, enforce safety standards, mentor junior operators, and contribute to system readiness, customer confidence, and mission success.
FIT AVOs may also provide cross-functional support within Customer Operations and support Production Flight Test, Experimental Flight Test, and demonstration activities as required and when team bandwidth permits.
What you'll do:
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Field integration support: Supports site surveys, installations, calibrations, aircraft operational checks, and customer handoff activities while maintaining safe and effective V-BAT operations
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Operational leadership: Leads flight operations and field events with autonomy, sound judgment, and disciplined risk management