Staff C++ Build and Release Engineer (R5673)

Shield; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance-based incentives

Long-term growth opportunities

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a hands-on Build & Release Engineer to own the C++ build and release workflows for autonomy software deployed to edge systems. You will optimize containerised CI/CD pipelines and manage artefacts, ensuring reproducible builds across isolated environments.

The role is based in Port Melbourne, Australia, with a focus on edge delivery, reliability, and collaboration with systems admins. You will ship real systems in constrained environments and support Python tooling around the

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience delivering modern C++ software in production.
• Ownership of build systems, toolchains and dependency management (e.g., Conan, CMake, Nix, Ninja, Artifactory).
• Significant experience running CI/CD for compiled software and maintaining pipelines, runners/agents, artefact stores, promotion gates.
• Experience with Docker/Podman and containerised workflows.
• Strong understanding of Linux/Unix systems.
• Experience debugging and troubleshooting in complex environments.
• Background in air-gapped or isolated DevOps settings.
• Experience supporting Python tooling around the C++ core.

Responsibilities

• Own C++ build and release workflows from source to release.
• Evolve containerised CI/CD pipelines across multiple isolated environments.
• Build and maintain container images for edge deployment.
• Manage JFrog/Artifactory repositories for multi-language artefacts.
• Improve versioning, retention and promotion practices.
• Strengthen dependency/build reproducibility and reduce pipeline flakiness.
• Validate and deploy autonomy/vision-system products focusing on edge delivery.
• Collaborate with engineers and system admins to ensure stability in deployment.

Skills

C++ development

Build systems

CI/CD pipelines

Docker / Podman

Linux/Unix

Python tooling

Edge deployment

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS or related

Tools

Conan

CMake

Nix

Ninja

Artifactory

Job description

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, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. 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.

Job Description:

We’re building intelligent systems that protect service members and civilians. Our autonomy and vision technology is now being adopted across some of the most complex and high-stakes environments in modern defence.

We’ve developed a dedicated software factory for building, optimising, evaluating, and analysing autonomy and vision system solutions - and it’s gaining serious momentum. As demand grows, we’re working closely with partners and customers to solve real warfighting problems and deliver technology that genuinely changes what’s possible.

This role sits at the heart of that mission.

This is abuild & release engineeringrole for teams shipping autonomy software toedge-deployed systems,frequentlyinisolated / constrained environments.You’llown the engineering “last mile” between C++ development and dependable delivery: reproducible builds, trustworthy artefacts, promotion across environments, and deployable releases that work where they matter most.

If you love modern C++ toolchains, dependency hygiene, artefact provenance, and making CI/CD fastanddeterministic—this is for you.

What you’ll do:

• Own C++ build and release workflows for autonomy and vision products, from source → build → test → package → release.
• Support and evolve containerised CI/CD pipelines across multiple isolated environments (speed, determinism, promotion, repeatability).
• Build and maintain container images for edge deployment
• Manage JFrog/Artifactory repositories for multi-language and generic artefacts; improve versioning, retention, and promotion practices.
• Strengthen dependency and build reproducibility for C++, reducing “works on my machine” and pipeline flakiness.
• Validate and deploy autonomy and vision‑system products, tools, and libraries—focusing on edge delivery and reliability.
• Collaborate with engineers and system admins to ensure integration and stability across real deployment environments.
• Tackle complex, meaningful problems that directly support mission outcomes.

Required qualifications:

• Strong, hands-on experience deliveringmodern C++software in production (not just “supporting” it).
• Demonstrated ownership ofbuild systems / toolchains / dependency management (e.g., Conan,CMake, Nix, Ninja, Artifactory—whateveryou’veused to ship real systems).
• Significant recent experience running CI/CD for compiled software andmaintainingthe surrounding engineering systems (pipelines, runners/agents, artefact stores, promotion gates).
• Significant recent experience inDocker /Podmanandcontainerisedworkflows
• Strong understanding ofLinux/Unixsystems.
• Experience debugging and troubleshooting.
• Background in air‑gapped or isolated DevOps environments (or similarly constrained delivery contexts).
• Experience supporting Python deployment/distribution (for tooling around the C++ core).

Why Shield AI:

• Help shape the future of defence and autonomy in Australia and beyond.
• Be a key voice in a mission‑led business redefining what’s possible with emerging technology.
• Join a growing, values‑led team headquartered in Port Melbourne, with strong global partnerships and local autonomy.
• Competitive salary, performance‑based incentives, and long‑term growth opportunities.

What this role is not:

• Not a “cloud‑first” DevOps role focused on standing up cloud infrastructure.
• This role is primarily aboutC++ build & release engineeringandedge delivery - making autonomy software shippable, repeatable, and dependable in real environments.

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.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.