Chief Engineer, Autonomy (R4614)

Shieldai; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Equity

Job summary

Shieldai is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead projects focused on developing autonomy solutions for unmanned aircraft. The successful candidate will oversee the integration of advanced systems across various platforms and manage a team of skilled engineers.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience in the defense tech sector and excellent leadership and communication skills. This full-time role offers competitive pay along with bonuses and benefits.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in the autonomy and/or UAS industry.
• 7+ years delivering software into production with high reliability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects developing autonomy solutions for unmanned aircraft.
• Oversee technical objectives and ensure quality of deliverables.
• Support government contract proposal writing.

Skills

Autonomy and UAS platforms

Software development

Guidance, Control, Navigation

Problem-solving skills

Leadership

Education

B.S./M.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Job description

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, actively supporting operations worldwide.

The Chief Engineer is responsible for solving complex technical challenges in deploying advanced autonomy solutions on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and ensuring the successful integration of Hivemind Autonomy across a range of aircraft, from small UAS to large autonomous collaborative platforms.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Chief Engineer on Shield AI projects focused on developing and deploying autonomy solutions for unmanned aircraft.
• Lead a team responsible for advancing Hivemind Autonomy and shaping Department of Defense (DoD) 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 DoD contracts.
• Act as a customer‑facing engineering leader supporting both defense and internally funded development programs.
• Contribute to government contract proposal writing.

Qualifications

• B.S./M.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of industry experience in autonomy and/or UAS platforms (e.g., defense tech, self‑driving car).
• 7+ years of delivering software into production/certifiable environments with high reliability.
• Understanding of guidance, control, and navigation (GNC) (controls, estimation, planning).
• Understanding of robotics stack (controls, estimation, perception, planning).
• Understanding of software development processes and effective deployment strategies.
• Experience defining technical scope and managing technical requirements, product architectures, ICDs, and other system‑level design documentation.
• Demonstrated problem‑solving skills using a scientific technical approach.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Excellent leadership skills, driving a team of 6–20 engineers.

Full‑time employee: Pay within the listed range plus bonus, benefits, and equity.

Temporary employee: Pay within the listed range plus a temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment).

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.