Senior Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration (R5193)

This role is for a Senior Staff Software Engineer on the Autonomous Pilot Integration team at Shield AI. You will develop and integrate autonomy software onto unmanned platforms across air, maritime, space, and effects/expendables, owning the technical direction across multiple programs. You'll write new autonomy code, drive the reference implementation, and mentor senior engineers. The role involves hands-on integration, validation, and field testing, with travel to test sites for live mission support.

Responsibilities

• Develop & Field Autonomy — Develop & integrate autonomy software solutions onto unmanned platforms (air, maritime, space, or effects/expendables), including payload computer bring-up, container-based deployment (e.g., k3s/k3d), and configuration across onboard compute, sensors, and command-and-control interfaces — and own the technical direction across a set of related programs, driving the autonomy reference implementation and common patterns that keep delivery coherent across portfolios.
• Technical Strategy & Leadership — Set the technical direction across multiple programs; drive the autonomy reference implementation and common patterns that portfolios adopt; anticipate where the stack needs to go and adapt as priorities shift; align with engineering leadership early and maintain outward status; serve as the subject-matter expert that the broader org reaches for when hard, ambiguous problems in unknown solution spaces land on the team.
• Collaboration & Cross-Engineering Influence — Build effective working relationships across engineering; represent the team to engineering leadership, customer/program offices, standards bodies, and external partners (platform integrators, vehicle/autopilot control vendors, C2 providers); shape architecture decisions beyond the team.
• Mentorship & Growth — Mentor senior engineers and other team leads; provide cross-functional mentorship to engineers in adjacent departments; help shape the leveling and career bar for the team and the broader engineering organization.
• Design & Documentation — Drive cross-functional design reviews, architecture documents, and post-mortems across many teams; publish content that informs decisions beyond the team; set the rigor and process bar for the broader engineering org.
• Pre-deployment Preparation — Own the build, configuration, and validation process for mission-ready systems; coordinate hardware/software compatibility, mission readiness, and release cadence with capability and feature teams.
• On-site Test & Mission Support — Travel to test sites and support live mission operations (flight tests, range exercises, on-water trials, integration events), including safety checks, system bring-up, and troubleshooting under time-critical constraints.
• Hardware/Software Debugging — Diagnose and resolve integration issues across complex autonomy stacks, payload computers, and embedded systems in lab and field environments — including memory, CPU, and timing profiling under operationally-representative loads.
• Mission Data & Debrief Support — Capture mission and test data, reproduce issues in simulation, and partner with autonomy capability owners to drive fixes back into the next build.
• Continuous Improvement — Build tools and processes to improve integration timelines, test/mission reliability, and team efficiency across deployment cycles.
• C2 Interoperability & Standards — Set the strategy for C2 interoperability across our portfolio; shape interface evolution with internal and external stakeholders; own implementation and compliance against command-and-control standards (e.g., A-GRA, UCI, OMS).
• Hiring — Define the skills bar and hiring strategy for senior roles in your area; partner with managers on long-term staffing plans; assess candidates accurately and onboard new senior engineers.
• Travel Requirement – Members of this team typically travel around 10-20% of the year (to different office locations, customer sites, and integration/test events).

Requirements

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience
• Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 9 years and a Master’s degree; or 7 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience.
• Proficiency in C++, with experience developing or integrating real-time or latency-sensitive systems.
• Proficiency in Linux-based development and experience working with embedded systems, shell scripting, and system diagnostics.
• Familiarity with middleware, pub-sub, or IPC frameworks used in autonomy or robotics systems (e.g., DDS, message buses).
• Hands-on experience supporting demos, exercises, or field/mission tests for unmanned or autonomous systems.
• Experience with autonomy simulation environments for testing and validation.
• Demonstrated experience leading multiple teams or driving cross-program technical initiatives from concept through fielded delivery.
• Track record as the subject-matter expert sought across engineering on hard, ambiguous problems in unknown solution spaces in your discipline.
• Track record of setting forward-looking technical strategy and adjusting course as programs and priorities evolve.
• Track record of mentoring senior engineers and team leads, and shaping the career bar for the discipline.
• Experience shaping architecture decisions, interface contracts, and standards across multiple teams.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance across the full stack.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment.
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Nice to have

• Direct experience supporting unmanned systems (air, maritime, space, ground, or effects/expendables) or similar field test campaigns.
• Proficiency in Python for scripting, automation, and analysis.
• Experience leading multiple programs or driving cross-program technical initiatives in an unmanned systems context.
• Experience interfacing with customers and external stakeholders, representing the company in technical engagements, briefing senior leadership, and presenting to non-technical audiences.
• Track record of improvements that span the broader engineering organization (process, architecture, technical bar, or platform-wide tooling).
• Familiarity with autonomy stacks, motion planning, or vehicle-control integration.
• 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.
• Familiarity with platform control / autopilot stacks (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot, spacecraft flight software, vessel autopilots).
• Proficiency in developing automation tools for system testing, logging, and data parsing.
• Build-system experience (e.g., Conan, CMake) and CI/CD pipeline familiarity.
• Comfortable interfacing with DoD stakeholders during field events or technical reviews.
• Experience with C2 standards such as A-GRA, UCI, or OMS.
• Familiarity with government-furnished simulation environments (e.g., AFSIM, NGTS) is a plus.

Benefits

• Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
• Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)