Ground System Full Stack Software Engineer (R4787)

The role

You will design, build and maintain ground control software for the X-BAT platform. The work covers low-latency communication with UAVs, mission planning tools, telemetry processing and operator user interfaces.

What you will do

• Design, develop and optimize ground control software for low-latency communication with UAVs and other autonomous platforms.
• Build full-stack applications for telemetry processing and fusion, mission planning and real-time situational awareness.
• Implement user interfaces with React and TypeScript for telemetry readout, sensor feeds, operator workflows and mission state.
• Collaborate with autonomy, embedded systems, human factors and UX teams to deliver field-ready solutions.
• Contribute to architecture and system design decisions for responsiveness, scalability and fault-tolerance.
• Lead or take part in development of key features or subsystems, from design through deployment.
• Write well-tested code and take part in peer design and code reviews.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Robotics or a related field with 9+ years of professional software development experience (Senior Staff level), or Master's with 8+ years,
• Proficiency in a strongly typed language such as C#, TypeScript, Java or C++, with exposure to lower-level systems or protocol integration.
• Experience with React, TypeScript/JavaScript and Node.js.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals: version control, testing, debugging and performance profiling.
• Proven ability to deliver high-quality software as part of a collaborative engineering team.
• Experience building distributed systems or networked applications.
• Experience developing user interfaces with React, Vue, QT or similar frameworks.
• Strong debugging, problem solving and system integration skills.
• Speed and proficiency without Generative AI tools, which are prohibited in this work.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, cross-functional engineering environment.
• Ability to obtain security clearance.

Nice to have

• Experience with GCS software, mission planning tools or real-time visualization platforms.
• Familiarity with REST or gRPC APIs and protocols such as WebSocket or custom telemetry formats.
• Knowledge of STANAG 4586, Cursor on Target (CoT) or MAVLink.
• Experience with UAS platforms and AI/ML systems.
• Familiarity with Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD practices and cloud integration for telemetry pipelines.
• Exposure to distributed systems and sensor fusion.
• Understanding of security best practices in control systems and networked applications.
• Exposure to cybersecurity best practices for embedded or distributed systems, preferably in Gov or Defense environments.

Benefits

• Full-time regular employees receive a bonus.
• Full-time regular employees receive benefits.
• Full-time regular employees receive equity.
• Temporary employees receive a temporary benefits package after 60 days of employment.

Before you apply

• Offers are contingent on a cleared background check and possible reference check.
• Security clearance must be obtainable.
• 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.