Chief Engineer, Hivemind Solutions (R3954)

Shield AI; City Of London; On-site; GBP 112,000 - 169,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology firm in the UK is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead a team in developing advanced autonomy solutions for unmanned aircraft systems. The role demands at least 10 years of experience in defense technology and a proven track record in leading technical teams. The successful candidate will ensure integration of Hivemind Autonomy and contribute to defense contracts. Competitive salary ranging from £112,160 to £168,240 per year.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of industry experience in autonomy and/or UAS platforms.
• 7+ years of delivering software into production/certifiable environments with high reliability.
• Understanding of guidance, control and navigation (GNC).
• Understanding of robotics stack.
• Experience defining technical scope and managing technical requirements.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Chief Engineer on projects for developing autonomy solutions.
• Lead a team responsible for advancing Hivemind Autonomy.
• Define and assign technical objectives for all technical deliverables.
• Provide technical leadership across IRAD initiatives and defense contracts.

Skills

Problem-solving skills

Excellent communication skills

Leadership skills

Education

BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering or similar

Job description

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep‑tech company on a mission to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V‑BAT and X‑BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With nine offices and facilities worldwide, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia‑Pacific.

Job Description

The Chief Engineer at Shield AI is responsible for solving complex technical challenges in deploying advanced autonomy solutions on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As the chief authority on system architecture, design, development, risk mitigation, and product quality, the Chief Engineer ensures the successful integration of Hivemind Autonomy across a range of aircraft, from Group 2 propeller aircraft to Group 5 jets. This role is part of the Hivemind Solutions organization and leads a team of engineers to deliver cutting‑edge autonomous capabilities for business‑to‑business and defense contracts. The ideal candidate has defense‑industry experience as a Chief Engineer and a proven track record of leading technical teams to develop and deploy autonomous systems.

What you’ll do

• Serve as the Chief Engineer on Shield AI projects focused on developing and deploying autonomy solutions for unmanned aircraft from group 2 to group 5.
• Lead a team responsible for advancing Hivemind Autonomy and shaping defense autonomy architectures.
• Define and assign technical objectives, make key engineering decisions, and ensure the quality and completeness of all technical deliverables.
• Provide technical leadership and oversight across both internal research and development (IRAD) initiatives and defense contracts.

Required qualifications

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, or similar degree.
• 10+ years of industry experience in autonomy and/or UAS platforms (e.g., defense tech, self‑driving car, etc.).
• 7+ years of delivering software into production/certifiable environments with high reliability.
• Understanding of guidance, control and navigation (GNC) (e.g., controls, estimation, planning).
• Understanding of robotics stack (e.g., controls, estimation, perception, planning, etc.).
• Understanding of software development processes and how to effectively deploy software.
• Experience defining technical scope and managing technical requirements, product architectures, ICDs and other system‑level design documentation.
• Demonstrate problem‑solving skills by applying a scientific technical approach.
• Customer‑facing engineering leader supporting both defense and internally funded development programs.
• Contribute to government contract proposal writing.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Excellent leadership skills, driving a team of 6‑20 engineers.

Preferred qualifications

• UK security clearance.

£112,160 – £168,240 a year.

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, color, 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.