Senior Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration – Weapons (R5427)

About the role

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Develop & Field Autonomy – Develop and integrate autonomy software solutions onto launched effects platforms, including payload computer bring-up, autopilot integration (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot), multi-agent coordination, and deployment to disconnected or air-gapped environments. Own major features from software-in-the-loop through live flight testing and operational deployment.
• Technical Leadership – Own major features or subsystems; drive technical execution, contribute to design decisions, mentor teammates, and help deliver complex autonomy capabilities.
• Collaboration Across Teams & Partners – Partner closely with the Autonomy Capabilities team (motion planning, tactics), the Perception team, feature crews, autopilot vendors (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot), C2 providers, and customer/contractor partners to deliver integrated autonomy capabilities.
• Design & Documentation – Contribute to design reviews, ICDs, integration planning, and post-mortems while helping improve engineering rigor and cross-team execution.
• Pre-deployment Preparation – Build, configure, and validate mission-ready systems for Capability Releases and fleet-scale deployments; coordinate hardware/software compatibility, mission readiness, and release readiness across engineering teams.
• On-site Test & Mission Support – Travel to test sites, customer exercises, and live demonstrations to support flight operations, system bring-up, troubleshooting, and mission execution under operational timelines.
• Hardware/Software Debugging – Diagnose and resolve integration issues across autonomy software, payload computers, embedded systems, and platform interfaces using simulation, laboratory testing, and operational data.
• Mission Data & Debrief Support – Capture mission and test data, reproduce issues in simulation, and partner with autonomy capability owners to rapidly drive improvements into future releases.
• Continuous Improvement – Develop tools and processes that improve integration timelines, testing reliability, deployment efficiency, and mission readiness.
• C2 Interoperability & Standards – Implement and validate interfaces with C2 providers while supporting compliance with common message and open-systems standards (e.g., UCI, OMS, MOSA, WOSA, TAK/CoT).

Requirements

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent practical experience. Typically requires 5+ years of relevant experience (or equivalent advanced degree experience).
• Strong proficiency in C++ and experience developing or integrating real-time or embedded systems.
• Experience with Linux-based development and embedded systems.
• Experience integrating complex software and hardware systems.
• Experience supporting system integration, testing, or field events.
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Qualifications

• Experience with launched effects, unmanned systems, or autonomous platforms.
• Experience with PX4, ArduPilot, or comparable autopilot stacks.
• Experience with multi-agent autonomy.
• Python, Docker, CMake/Conan, or CI/CD experience.
• Experience supporting military field exercises or defense customers.

Skills

• Proficiency in C++ and real-time/embedded systems development.
• Experience with Linux-based development and embedded systems.
• Experience integrating complex software and hardware systems.
• Experience with PX4, ArduPilot, or comparable autopilot stacks.
• Experience with multi-agent autonomy.
• Experience with Python, Docker, CMake/Conan, or CI/CD.
• Experience supporting military field exercises or defense customers.

Benefits

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits.

Pay

$163,200 - $244,800 a year

Schedule

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)