Senior Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration – Weapons (R5398)

The role

You will lead the technical delivery of autonomy capabilities for launched effects platforms, from architecture to live test exercises. You will set technical direction across multiple subsystems and work with partner teams, vendors and customers.

What you will do

• Define the long-term technical direction for the Launched Effects portfolio
• Guide development and integration of mission autonomy, platform interfaces, executive autonomy and multi-agent coordination
• Build technical partnerships across the Autonomy Capabilities, Perception and feature teams, autopilot vendors, C2 providers and customers
• Lead cross-functional architecture reviews, interface standards, ICDs and post-mortems
• Mentor Staff and Senior engineers and contribute to engineering standards and leveling
• Guide capability release planning, fleet-scale deployment strategies and operational readiness
• Provide senior technical leadership during flight tests, customer demonstrations and operational exercises
• Lead resolution of complex autonomy integration challenges across software, embedded systems and networking
• Drive post-mission analysis and organization-wide engineering process improvements
• Define technical strategy for C2 interoperability and open-systems standards

Required qualifications

• BS/MS in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent practical experience
• Typically 10+ years of relevant experience
• Expert-level C++ and Linux systems development experience
• Demonstrated experience defining technical strategy across multiple engineering teams or programs
• Proven track record influencing architecture and solving highly complex autonomy integration challenges
• Experience mentoring senior engineers and driving engineering excellence across an organization
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance

Nice to have

• Extensive experience with launched effects, autonomous systems or distributed robotic platforms
• Experience defining autopilot integration strategies and multi-agent autonomy architectures
• Experience leading fleet-scale or disconnected operational deployments
• Experience with military operational testing and international defense customers
• Experience with UCI, OMS, MOSA, WOSA, TAK/CoT or similar open architectures
• Experience shaping engineering practices across multiple teams or organizations

Benefits

• Bonus
• Benefits
• Equity (full-time regular employees)
• Temporary benefits package applies after 60 days of employment (temporary employees)

Before you apply

• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance is required
• All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check
• Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits
• Pay depends on factors including skill set, experience, licenses and certifications, and work location

About the company

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company that builds intelligent systems, including Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation technologies. It operates offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.