Mission Assurance Lead (R5896)

What you will do:

• Build and operate a Mission Assurance model for Shield AI Aircraft operations, covering maintenance procedures, documentation, configuration control, support equipment, and field execution 
• Define inspection strategy, audit cadence, evidence requirements, data standards, and reporting rhythms. 
• Conduct independent inspections of maintenance tasks, logbooks, technical data use, service bulletin compliance, configuration accuracy, release practices, tool/FOD control, ground handling, and field operations. 
• Verify maintenance quality, data integrity, critical‑step completion, serial/time‑tracked item accuracy, deferred discrepancy management, and in‑process inspection discipline. 
• Develop and execute standardized evaluation programs, including sampling plans, audits, acceptance criteria, and documented finding categories. 
• Maintain dashboards and indicators such as maintenance quality, data error rates, open findings, CAPA status, repeat discrepancies, tool/FOD events, and potential readiness blockers. 
• Partner with Maintenance, Field Operations, Engineering, and Airworthiness to standardize processes across locations while maintaining independent oversight. 
• Escalate safety‑of‑flight, compliance, or data integrity risks; recommend stop‑work, restrictions, additional inspections, or impounds when warranted. 
• Support investigations of mishaps, near misses, maintenance errors, and field failures, ensuring accurate reconstruction of maintenance, configuration, and operational timelines.  
• Will perform associated follow up inspections to ensure finding are sufficiently resolved 
• Maintain the evidence trail required for customer confidence, safety assurance, governance, and quality expectations in a scaling UAS operation. 

Required Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in aviation maintenance, maintenance QA, maintenance control, field service leadership, or equivalent mission‑critical operational roles. 
• Demonstrated ability to build or mature maintenance QA or mission assurance programs. 
• Practical expertise with maintenance procedures, logbooks, MIS/work orders, discrepancies, configuration control, service bulletin compliance, tool/FOD control, and aircraft release discipline. 
• Hands‑on experience in operational environments (hangars, flightlines, test ranges, customer sites, or deployed locations). 
• Strong data discipline and ability to generate accurate, actionable reports and dashboards. 
• Working knowledge of audit practices, root‑cause methods, CAPA, and safety/quality systems. 
• High ownership and independence; able to ask difficult questions, build trust, and drive corrective actions without unnecessary bureaucracy. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 
• Ability to travel and support non‑standard operational tempos. 

Preferred Qualifications: