# Senior Staff Engineer, Operations Analysis

**Company:** [Shield AI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/shield-ai)
**Location:** Dallas, TX, Washington, DC
**Role:** Data Science
**Salary:** $180k – $270k/yr
**Experience:** 9+ years
**Skills:** operational analysis, modeling and simulation, wargaming, Data Science, operations research, afsim, stk, MATLAB, Python, force-on-force analysis, conops, sysml, mbse, jcids, version control
**Posted:** 2026-08-12

> Leads operational analysis, modeling, simulation, and wargaming for autonomous aircraft systems in contested military environments. The role requires 9+ years of defense or aerospace analysis experience, a STEM bachelor’s degree, and an active Secret clearance.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Plan, own, and execute operational analyses assessing autonomous systems in representative military scenarios.
- Develop and run modeling, simulation, and wargaming analyses to evaluate system performance, mission impact, and survivability in contested environments.
- Analyze aircraft systems at the component, system, mission, and campaign levels across multiple domains, missions, and applications.
- Collaborate with engineering teams and product managers to translate operational findings into actionable system insights.
- Perform trade studies and sensitivity analyses across varying operational conditions, assumptions, and threat environments.
- Build, modify, and analyze mission-level models using AFSIM, STK, MATLAB, Python, or similar modeling and simulation frameworks.
- Analyze force-on-force engagements, sensor performance, and autonomy-enabled behaviors to assess mission effectiveness.
- Engage with DoD stakeholders, operators, and analysts to understand mission needs and operational constraints.
- Contribute to concepts of operations (CONOPS) for AI-enabled aircraft capabilities.
- Monitor emerging threats and operational challenges relevant to autonomous and air combat systems.
- Prepare technical documentation, analysis reports, and briefings for internal teams, customers, and government stakeholders.
- Apply modern compute and development practices, including version control, scripting, scalable compute workflows, and reproducible analysis, to maintain reliable analysis pipelines.
- Coach and develop incoming talent.

## Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics domain.
- 9+ years of experience in operational analysis, modeling and simulation, operations research, or related defense or aerospace roles.
- Active Secret clearance at minimum; preferred Top Secret clearance or ability to obtain one.
- Ability to obtain a S//SAR-level security clearance is desired.

## Nice-to-haves
- Experience with force-on-force analysis, CONOPS development, or military campaign modeling.
- Experience evaluating strategic development and analysis goals for multi-mission and multi-domain applicability.
- Familiarity with DoD acquisition processes, Brawler, ESAMS, JCIDS, and military operational testing.
- Experience leading a product effort from pre-shaping through tactical deployment.
- Experience with systems engineering product development lifecycles; SysML or MBSE preferred.
- Experience developing technical expertise within a team to execute analyses for system design and analysis.

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