# Manager, Prototype & New Product Launch

**Company:** [Shield AI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/shield-ai)
**Location:** Dallas, TX
**Role:** Technical Program Management
**Salary:** $96k – $140k/yr
**Experience:** 5+ years
**Skills:** Project Management, Issue Resolution, Cross-Functional Coordination, Manufacturing Readiness, Engineering Change Management, Prototype Builds, Npi, Risk Tracking, Production Planning, Aerospace Manufacturing, Hardware Development
**Posted:** 2026-07-08

> Lead day-to-day execution of prototype and pre-production builds for autonomous aircraft systems. Coordinate across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain and quality teams to resolve issues, track progress, and ensure development milestones are met in fast-paced aerospace environments.

## Job Description

## What you'll do
- Lead day-to-day execution of prototype, integration, and pre-production build activities, ensuring schedule, quality, and program objectives are achieved.
- Serve as the primary build coordinator across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and program management teams.
- Drive issue identification, escalation, and resolution during prototype and NPI builds, ensuring blockers are quickly addressed and closed.
- Facilitate daily build reviews, action item tracking, and cross-functional communication to maintain alignment across stakeholders.
- Monitor build progress, material availability, engineering changes, and production readiness activities to keep development schedules on track.
- Partner with engineering teams to support build-test-learn cycles, providing feedback on manufacturability, assembly challenges, and process improvements.
- Coordinate implementation of engineering changes, non-conformance resolutions, and corrective actions throughout development builds.
- Maintain build status reporting, risk tracking, and executive-level communication regarding schedule impacts, issues, and mitigation plans.
- Continuously improve prototype build processes, issue management systems, and cross-functional execution frameworks.

## Required qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or a related technical field.
- 5+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, or advanced manufacturing environments.
- Experience managing prototype builds, NPI programs, integration activities, or complex hardware development efforts.
- Demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional issue resolution in fast-paced development environments.
- Strong organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
- Experience working closely with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

## Preferred qualifications
- Experience supporting aerospace, UAV, defense, or highly regulated manufacturing programs.
- Familiarity with product development lifecycles, engineering change management, and manufacturing readiness processes.
- Experience using project management, issue tracking, and production planning tools.
- PMP certification or equivalent program management training.
- Previous experience supporting new product introduction (NPI), prototype development, or production launch activities.

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