Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering

JOB DESCRIPTION As the Aircraft Engineering Talent Acquisition Lead, you will drive end-to-end recruiting strategies and sourcing initiatives across our expanding portfolio of advanced aerospace and defense programs. This hands-on leadership role requires deep recruiting expertise within aircraft and engineering domains, leveraging advanced market intelligence, sourcing tools, and AI-powered workflows. You will build and mentor a high-performing team, collaborate with senior technical stakeholders, and deliver exceptional talent pipelines for highly specialized, cleared, or hard-to-find engineering talent. RESPONSIBILITIES - Partner with recruiters and hiring leaders to define technical profiles across Aerodynamics, Avionics, Propulsion, Systems, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Engineering. - Build comprehensive market maps and talent intelligence reports, identifying critical talent pools and competitor insights. - Develop innovative sourcing strategies using platforms such as LinkedIn Recruiter, SeekOut, HireEZ, and niche engineering networks. - Implement and continuously optimize AI-powered sourcing workflows to accelerate talent discovery and improve recruiter productivity. - Cultivate and maintain strong, long-term relationships with passive and cleared candidates. - Serve as subject matter expert for sourcing best practices and market trends, consulting with internal stakeholders. - Collaborate cross-functionally with employer branding, university recruiting, and operational teams to optimize candidate experience and recruiting processes. - Track pipeline metrics and iterate on sourcing strategies using data-driven approaches. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS - 8+ years of technical recruiting or sourcing experience within aerospace, defense, or advanced engineering sectors. - Proven ability to build and execute market mapping, talent intelligence, and sourcing strategies for specialized engineering roles. - Mastery of modern sourcing tools and platforms (LinkedIn Recruiter, SeekOut, HireEZ, ClearanceJobs, GitHub). - Demonstrated experience building or deploying AI-powered sourcing workflows or automations. - Hands-on background in developing talent acquisition processes and influencing senior engineering leaders. - Excellent communication, storytelling, and stakeholder management skills. - Highly organized, detail-oriented, and driven by data and continuous process improvement. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Direct experience supporting aircraft, aerospace, or defense engineering organizations. - Familiarity with ITAR, EAR, export controls, or security-cleared recruiting environments. - Experience with digital recruiting analytics platforms and CRM tools. - Track record of building and leading recruiting teams during organizational growth phases. - Passion for emerging recruiting technologies and AI-driven methodologies. BENEFITS - Competitive salary, bonuses, benefits, and equity packages - Opportunities for career advancement in a high-growth, mission-driven company - Work with cutting-edge technology and a talented, multidisciplinary team - Flexible work environment Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and 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 accommodations are needed, please let us know during the interview process.