Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration

Shield AI
Washington, US
On-site

Who this role is best for

Aimed at senior engineers who enjoy hands-on technical leadership and real-world deployment of autonomy systems in defense applications.

Best fit for

  • Senior engineers who thrive in bridging R&D with field deployment.
    — “engineers who like seeing their code operate in the real world
  • Technical leaders comfortable mentoring and representing teams externally.
    — “leading a small feature crew or sub-program through design, integration, and delivery
  • Candidates with experience in multi-agent coordination and mission behaviors.
    — “write new autonomy code — such as mission behaviors, platform-specific control, multi-agent coordination

Things to consider

  • Role involves close collaboration with multiple internal and external teams.
    — “partner closely with the Autonomy Capabilities and Perception teams, feature crews, and external platform integrators
  • Expect end-to-end ownership from simulation to live field testing.
    — “own it end-to-end from software-in-the-loop, to hardware-in-the-loop, to vehicle-in-the-loop, to live test exercise

How to stand out

  • Highlight specific examples of autonomy systems you've fielded in operational environments.
    — “autonomous systems function reliably and effectively wherever and whenever they're needed most
  • Demonstrate technical leadership beyond individual contributions in your resume.
    — “serve as a technical leader within the team — leading a small feature crew or sub-program
  • Showcase experience with unmanned platforms across multiple domains.
    — “autonomy for unmanned platforms across every operating domain — air, maritime, space, and effects/expendables
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · TeamLevel · Senior

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • developed new autonomy code
  • led a small feature crew
  • mentored mid-level engineers
  • represented the team to capability teams and external partners
Typical background
software engineeringautonomy systemsrobotics

Skills & requirements

Required

C++Autonomy SoftwareMotion PlanningTacticsTrack FusionHivemindsdkMulti-agent CoordinationContingenciesExecutive AutonomyHardware-in-the-loopVehicle-in-the-loopLive Test Exercise

Preferred

Real-time SystemsEmbedded SystemsRobotics

Stack & domain

Defense-tech

About the role

Original posting from Shield AI via Lever

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. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

The Autonomous Pilot Integration team builds autonomy solutions for a wide range of CONOPs and mission sets. We combine capabilities from the Autonomy Capabilities team (motion planning, tactics), the Perception team (e.g., track fusion), and the HivemindSDK to develop the autonomy software that runs on an unmanned platform — air, maritime, space, or effects/expendables, depending on the program — then integrate, validate, and field it on the real hardware. In this role, you'll 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. You'll partner closely with the Autonomy Capabilities and Perception teams, feature crews, and external platform integrators (vehicle/autopilot control vendors, C2 providers). It's a hands-on role for engineers who like seeing their code operate in the real world — whether that's flying, sailing, orbiting, or downrange — and want to be there when it does. 

At this level, you'll also serve as a technical leader within the team — leading a small feature crew or sub-program through design, integration, and delivery, mentoring mid-level engineers, and representing the team directly to capability teams and external partners. 

Shield AI is committed to developing cutting-edge autonomy for unmanned platforms across every operating domain — air, maritime, space, and effects/expendables — in service of the U.S. Department of Defense and our international defense customers. Our Autonomous Pilot Integration engineers bridge the gap between R&D and deployment, ensuring autonomous systems function reliably and effectively wherever and whenever they're needed most.

Source: Shield AI careers (Lever)

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