Shield AI · San Mateo, CA, United States
Join Shield AI as a Staff Software Engineer in the Autonomous Pilot Integration team. In this hands-on role, you'll develop and integrate autonomy software solutions for unmanned platforms across various domains, including air, maritime, and space. You'll lead a small feature crew or sub-program, collaborate with multiple teams, mentor mid-level engineers, and support live mission operations. This position offers excellent benefits, including medical coverage, paid parental leave, and competitive compensation.
- Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience
- Familiarity with middleware, pub-sub, or IPC frameworks used in autonomy or robotics systems (e.g., DDS, message buses)
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance across the full stack
- Hands-on experience supporting demos, exercises, or field/mission tests for unmanned or autonomous systems
- Proficiency in Linux-based development and experience working with embedded systems, shell scripting, and system diagnostics
- Proficiency in C++, with experience developing or integrating real-time or latency-sensitive systems
- Track record of mentoring engineers and growing technical talent
- Typically requires a minimum of 7 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 5 years and a Master’s degree; or 4 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience
- Experience authoring or negotiating interface contracts / ICDs with internal or external stakeholders
- Experience with autonomy simulation environments for testing and validation
- Demonstrated experience leading a small technical team or owning a major capability from design through field delivery
- Track record of cross-team improvements (process, rigor, documentation, or developer experience)
- Direct experience supporting unmanned systems (air, maritime, space, ground, or effects/expendables) or similar field test campaigns
- Familiarity with autonomy stacks, motion planning, or vehicle-control integration
- Experience with C2 standards such as A-GRA, UCI, or OMS
- Proficiency in developing automation tools for system testing, logging, and data parsing
- Proficiency in Python for scripting, automation, and analysis
- Familiarity with platform control / autopilot stacks (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot, spacecraft flight software, vessel autopilots)
- Build-system experience (e.g., Conan, CMake) and CI/CD pipeline familiarity
- Comfortable interfacing with DoD stakeholders during field events or technical reviews
- Competence in vehicle electronics bring-up (avionics, spacecraft buses, or vessel control), payload computer integration, or hardware-in-the-loop debugging
- Experience with container orchestration (e.g., k3s, k3d, Docker) on embedded or payload compute
- Experience leading a feature crew, sub-program, or small team in an unmanned systems context
- Experience owning customer- or partner-facing technical relationships (e.g., autopilot vendors, C2 providers, government program offices)
- Familiarity with government-furnished simulation environments (e.g., AFSIM, NGTS) is a plus