Senior Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration (R5402)

The role

You will build autonomy software for unmanned platforms and take it through simulation, hardware tests and live field exercises. You will set technical direction across multiple programs and mentor senior engineers.

What you will do

• Develop and integrate autonomy software onto unmanned platforms (air, maritime, space, or effects/expendables).
• Set technical direction across multiple programs and drive the autonomy reference implementation.
• Serve as subject-matter expert on hard, ambiguous problems across engineering.
• Mentor senior engineers and other team leads.
• Drive cross-team design reviews, architecture documents and post-mortems.
• Own build, configuration and validation of mission-ready systems before deployment.
• Travel to test sites and support live mission operations, including troubleshooting under time pressure.
• Diagnose and resolve integration issues across autonomy stacks and embedded systems.
• Own C2 interoperability strategy and compliance with standards such as A-GRA, UCI and OMS.
• Define the skills bar and hiring strategy for senior roles in your area.

Required qualifications

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar, or equivalent practical experience
• Typically 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; 9 years with a Master's; 7 years with a PhD; or equivalent
• Proficiency in C++, including real-time or latency-sensitive systems
• Proficiency in Linux-based development, embedded systems, shell scripting and system diagnostics
• Familiarity with middleware, pub-sub or IPC frameworks such as DDS
• Hands-on experience supporting demos, exercises or field/mission tests for unmanned or autonomous systems
• Experience with autonomy simulation environments for testing and validation
• Experience leading multiple teams or driving cross-program technical initiatives from concept to fielded delivery
• Track record of setting forward-looking technical strategy and adjusting course
• Track record of mentoring senior engineers and team leads
• Experience shaping architecture decisions, interface contracts and standards across teams
• Strong problem-solving skills across the full stack

Nice to have

• Direct experience supporting unmanned systems or similar field test campaigns
• Proficiency in Python
• Experience interfacing with customers and external stakeholders and briefing senior leadership
• Track record of improvements spanning the broader engineering organization
• Familiarity with autonomy stacks, motion planning or vehicle-control integration
• Competence in vehicle electronics bring-up, payload computer integration or hardware-in-the-loop debugging
• Experience with container orchestration such as k3s, k3d or Docker on embedded compute
• Familiarity with autopilot stacks such as PX4, ArduPilot or vessel autopilots
• Automation tool development for testing, logging and data parsing
• Build-system experience (Conan, CMake) and CI/CD familiarity

Benefits

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

Before you apply

• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance is required
• Offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check
• 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.