Shield AI

Shield AI

Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration – Emerging Domains (R5401)

Washington, DC · Staff+ · Part-time

No sponsorship$195k-$293kDetected 14 hours ago
C++LinuxPlatform EngineeringLogisticsRecruitingEmbedded SystemsLeadershipCollaborationMentoring

About the role

  • takes on short-term R&D and integration efforts-often standing up the first autonomy on a brand-new platform or mission-with the intent that successful efforts grow into larger, multi-year programs.

Responsibilities

  • Stand Up New Programs - Lead technical efforts to establish autonomy on new platforms, determining how best to leverage existing Shield AI capabilities while developing new platform-specific solutions.
  • Develop & Field Autonomy - Lead development and integration of autonomy software across emerging-domain platforms, including platform interfaces, payload integration, mission autonomy, and operational deployment.
  • Technical Leadership - Lead feature crews or major integration efforts, mentor engineers, remove technical obstacles, and drive delivery of complex capabilities.
  • Platform Team Partnerships - Serve as a primary technical partner to platform engineering teams while coordinating interface evolution, hardware/software compatibility, and mission readiness.
  • Collaboration Across Teams & Partners - Coordinate closely with Autonomy Capabilities, Perception, GCS, feature crews, customer/program offices, and external partners to deliver integrated autonomy solutions.
  • Design & Documentation - Lead design reviews, architecture discussions, ICD development, and engineering improvements across multiple efforts.
  • Pre-deployment Preparation - Drive validation, release readiness, hardware/software integration, and mission preparation for operational deployments.
  • Hardware/Software Debugging - Lead root-cause analysis across complex autonomy stacks, embedded systems, and platform interfaces.
  • Mission Data & Debrief Support - Drive post-mission analysis and coordinate engineering improvements based on operational results.
  • C2 Interoperability & Standards - Drive implementation of command-and-control interfaces and interoperability standards appropriate for each platform.

Requirements

  • BS/MS in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent practical experience.
  • Typically requires 7+ years of relevant experience.
  • Expert C++ and Linux development experience.
  • Experience leading complex autonomy or systems integration efforts.
  • Experience influencing technical direction across engineering teams.
  • Experience operating successfully in ambiguous or rapidly evolving technical environments.
  • Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Nice to have

  • Experience standing up autonomy on new platforms.
  • Experience with autonomous aircraft, maritime, or space systems.
  • Experience mentoring engineers and leading technical initiatives.
  • Experience with military test events or customer deployments.
  • Experience with UCI, OMS, STANAG 4586, or comparable interoperability standards.
  • All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.
  • Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information. ### Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.

Compensation

  • #LI-ED1 #LD Full-time regular employee offer package: Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity Temporary employee offer package: Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Benefits

  • Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits.
  • 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.

Company info

  • Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
  • Our engineers write new autonomy code-such as mission behaviors, platform-specific control, multi-agent coordination, contingencies, and executive autonomy-and own it end-to-end from software-in-the-loop, to hardware-in-the-loop, to vehicle-in-the-loop, to live test exercise.

Equal opportunity

  • equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.
  • If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
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This listing is sourced directly from Shield AI's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.