Shield AI

Shield AI

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

Washington, DC · Staff+ · Part-time

No sponsorship$234k-$351kDetected 19 hours ago
C++LinuxLogisticsRecruitingEmbedded SystemsRoboticsLeadershipCollaborationMentoring

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.
  • In this role, you'll define the technical direction for Emerging Domains, guiding autonomy strategy across multiple new platforms and mission areas while helping transform early-stage R&D efforts into scalable, long-term programs.

Responsibilities

  • Develop & Field Autonomy - Guide development and deployment of autonomy capabilities across space, maritime, contested logistics, and future emerging platforms while ensuring successful operational delivery.
  • Platform Team Partnerships - Build deep technical partnerships with platform organizations and influence interface evolution, integration strategy, and long-term platform architecture.
  • Collaboration Across Teams & Partners - Influence architecture across Autonomy Capabilities, Perception, GCS, platform teams, engineering leadership, customer organizations, and external partners.
  • Design & Documentation - Lead architecture reviews, engineering standards, ICDs, and technical best practices across multiple organizations.
  • Hardware/Software Debugging - Lead resolution of the organization's most challenging autonomy integration problems spanning software, hardware, embedded systems, and platform interfaces.
  • Continuous Improvement - Drive long-term improvements to engineering processes, developer experience, testing infrastructure, and integration workflows across the Emerging Domains portfolio.
  • Hiring & Developing Technical Talent - Help define the technical hiring bar for senior engineering roles, mentor future technical leaders, and partner with managers to grow organizational capability.
  • With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide.
  • The Autonomous Pilot Integration team for Emerging Domains builds autonomy solutions for new platforms and mission profiles outside Shield AI's established portfolios-including space (satellites, missile defense), maritime (USV and UUV integration), and contested logistics (unmanned helicopters and related autonomous resupply platforms).
  • We combine capabilities from the Autonomy Capabilities team (motion planning, tactics), the Perception team (e.g., ViDAR, ATR), and the HivemindSDK-selectively leveraging existing Shield AI autonomy solutions where they apply-to develop autonomy that runs on these new platforms.

Requirements

  • BS/MS in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent practical experience.
  • Typically requires 10+ years of relevant experience.
  • Expert-level C++ and Linux systems development experience.
  • Demonstrated experience defining technical strategy across multiple programs or engineering organizations.
  • Proven track record solving highly complex systems integration challenges in ambiguous environments.
  • Experience mentoring senior engineers and influencing engineering direction without formal authority.
  • Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Nice to have

  • Experience leading first-of-kind autonomy or advanced R&D efforts.
  • Experience across multiple autonomy domains (air, maritime, space, ground, or robotics).
  • Experience transitioning prototypes into operational systems.
  • Experience shaping engineering practices across an organization.
  • Experience with UCI, OMS, STANAG 4586, or other defense 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.
  • Navigate Ambiguity & Shifting Priorities - Lead engineering through evolving customer needs, changing priorities, and uncertain technical landscapes while maintaining execution and long-term technical vision.
  • Mission Data & Debrief Support - Drive organizational learning from operational testing and shape future technical investments based on mission outcomes.

Company info

  • Grow R&D into Programs - Partner with engineering leadership and customers to evolve successful R&D efforts into scalable, long-term programs while helping shape technical strategy for future portfolios.
  • 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.