Flight Test Systems Engineer II — Autonomy & UAS

Shield AI; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 92,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a System Test Engineer II to support integration, verification, and validation of Hivemind Mission Autonomy across unmanned aircraft systems and missions. This hands-on, early-career role collaborates with test, systems, software, autonomy, hardware, and program teams to prepare, execute, document, and improve system-level test activities.

You will contribute to test planning, data collection, issue investigation, and documentation, with opportunities to support integration

Qualifications

• Master’s or higher in a STEM field or equivalent practical experience.
• Foundational experience with engineering test, integration, troubleshooting or verification.
• Familiarity with systems engineering concepts such as requirements, verification and test.
• Interest in autonomous systems, unmanned aircraft, flight-test operations, simulation, and software/hardware integration.
• Knowledge of Linux/Windows, command-line tools, networking basics, and programming languages like Python, Bash or C++.
• Ability to follow detailed procedures, maintain records, and manage multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Support test planning and execution for integration of Hivemind Mission Autonomy onto unmanned platforms.
• Assist with defining test objectives, acceptance criteria, verification methods, and schedules.
• Develop and maintain system-level test procedures, test cases, and configurations.
• Set up, configure, and troubleshoot SIL/HIL, simulation, lab, and automated test environments.
• Install and verify test hardware, software, networks, ground-control, sensors, radios, and computing systems.
• Collect test data, telemetry, logs, videos, and configuration details for evaluation.
• Analyze test results, document defects, and support root-cause investigations.
• Contribute to performance metrics, test reports, dashboards, and readied materials.
• Maintain test infrastructure, automation, simulation tools, and repeatable configurations.
• Develop test procedures, SOPs, and configuration-control records.
• Participate in test-readiness reviews and technical planning meetings.
• Follow safety, security, configuration-management, and operational procedures.
• Travel periodically to internal sites, customer locations, and integration events.

Skills

Linux

Windows

Scripting/Programming

Python

Bash

C++

Networking basics

Education

Master’s degree in STEM (Aerospace, CS, CE, EE, ME, Systems, Robotics)

Tools

Git

Job description

Shield AI is seeking a System Test Engineer II to support integration, verification, and validation of Hivemind Mission Autonomy across unmanned aircraft systems and missions. This hands-on, early-career role collaborates with test, systems, software, autonomy, hardware, and program teams to prepare, execute, document, and improve system-level test activities.

You will contribute to test planning, data collection, issue investigation, and documentation, with opportunities to support integration