Lead Autonomy Architect for Defense Weapons

Shield; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead autonomy initiatives for unmanned weapon systems. You will oversee architecture, design, risk mitigation and quality across Shield AI projects, guiding a team to deliver cutting-edge autonomy capabilities for defense contracts.

Ideal candidates have extensive defense experience, strong leadership, and a proven track record in delivering certifiable software for complex robotic systems and government programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or higher in CS, EE, mechanical/aerospace or similar.
• 10+ years in autonomy or unmanned weapon systems.
• 7+ years delivering production-grade software in certifiable environments.
• Understanding of GNC (controls, estimation, planning).
• Understanding of the robotics stack (controls, estimation, perception, planning).
• Understanding of software development processes and deployment.
• Experience defining technical scope, architectures, ICDs, and system-level design docs.
• Demonstrated problem-solving with a scientific/technical approach.
• Customer-facing engineering leadership in defense programs.
• Ability to contribute to government contract proposals.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, leading 6–20 engineers.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Chief Engineer on Shield AI projects focused on developing and deploying autonomy solutions for unmanned weapon systems.
• 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 IRAD initiatives and defense contracts.

Skills

Autonomy engineering

Team leadership

Defense industry experience

GNC understanding

Robotics stack

Systems architecture

Technical leadership

Proposal writing

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in CS/EE/ME/Aerospace

Tools

C/C++

ROS/Robotics stack

Certifiable software

Job description

Shield is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead autonomy initiatives for unmanned weapon systems. You will oversee architecture, design, risk mitigation and quality across Shield AI projects, guiding a team to deliver cutting-edge autonomy capabilities for defense contracts.

Ideal candidates have extensive defense experience, strong leadership, and a proven track record in delivering certifiable software for complex robotic systems and government programs.