Manager of Engineering, Autonomy Capabilities (R5412)

The role

Lead a team of 5 to 10 autonomy engineers who build autonomy for small air- or ground-launched platforms, including motion planning, tactical behaviors and multi-agent coordination. You will own technical delivery and team growth, and stay technically engaged in design and code.

What you will do

• Lead and grow a team of 5 to 10 autonomy engineers, including performance, growth, leveling, engagement and delivery.
• Build the team by partnering with recruiting, conducting interviews and onboarding strong candidates.
• Own technical delivery of autonomy capabilities from design through integration, validation and field deployment.
• Set technical direction and architectures for mission autonomy.
• Guide development of motion planning, tactical behaviors, multi-agent coordination, track fusion and target assignment.
• Stay close to the code, prototype capabilities and review critical designs.
• Drive engineering and integration rigor, including design reviews and testing practices.
• Make technical and staffing decisions when requirements are incomplete or priorities shift.
• Work with other teams and U.S. and international defense customers to integrate autonomy onto real platforms.
• Lead testing across software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop and live test environments.

Required qualifications

• BS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related technical field with at least 7 years of relevant experience; or 5 years with a master's degr
• Experience leading and developing engineers as a people manager, team lead, feature lead or similar role.
• Track record of leading a technical team or major capability from design through integration, validation and field delivery.
• Significant experience with robotics or autonomous systems, such as motion planning, tactical behaviors, decision-making, controls or multi-agent coordination.
• Strong proficiency in C++ and experience developing production-quality software for real-time, robotics or autonomy systems.
• Experience with unmanned systems, autonomy simulation environments and software- or hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Strong systems-level problem-solving, communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. SECRET security clearance.

Nice to have

• Direct people-management experience, including performance management, hiring, feedback and employee development.
• Experience developing tactical autonomy for weapons, strike, collaborative combat aircraft, launched effects or related defense applications.
• Experience with multi-agent coordination, distributed decision-making, trajectory optimization, track fusion or weapons- and sensor-target assignment.
• Hands-on experience integrating autonomy onto unmanned platforms and supporting flight tests, demonstrations or field exercises.
• Experience developing capabilities for disconnected, communications-denied or air-gapped environments.
• Experience authoring interface-control documents or working with UCI, OMS or similar defense interoperability standards.
• Experience partnering directly with DoD or international defense customers.

Benefits

• Bonus
• Equity
• Benefits package for full-time regular employees
• Temporary benefits package for temporary employees, applicable after 60 days of employment

Before you apply

• All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. SECRET security clearance is required.
• Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits.

About the company

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company that builds intelligent systems to protect service members and civilians. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation technologies.