Senior Autonomy Engineer: Flight-Test & Integration

InvestedintheMission; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 163,000 - 245,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Equity

Job summary

Shield AI seeks a senior engineer to advance autonomy for V-BAT and X-BAT, delivering mission-capable software from simulation to live flight tests. You will work across Aircraft, Autonomy Capabilities, Perception and GCS teams to integrate, validate, and field autonomy software that enables multi-agent coordination and robust mission execution.

You will provide technical leadership, mentor teammates, influence architecture, and support deployments for mature and emerging platforms while

Qualifications

• BS/MS in CS/EE/Aerospace/Mech or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Strong C++ development experience in real-time or embedded systems.
• Experience with Linux-based development and embedded systems.
• Experience integrating complex software systems and troubleshooting across hardware/software boundaries.
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop & Field Autonomy for V-BAT and X-BAT, including mission behaviors and multi-agent coordination.
• Collaborate with Aircraft team to validate interfaces and ensure compatibility.
• Partner with Autonomy Capabilities, Perception, GCS, and customer stakeholders for integrated mission capabilities.
• Provide technical leadership, mentor teammates, and participate in design reviews and integration planning.
• Pre-deployment preparation including configuration and validation of systems.
• On-site test & mission support including flight tests and operator training.
• Debug hardware/software integration issues across autonomy software and embedded systems.
• Analyze mission data and drive root-cause analysis to improve reliability.
• Ensure C2 interoperability and standards with GCS and command-and-control interfaces.
• Travel approximately 10–20% of the year to locations and sites.

Skills

C++ development

Linux

Real-time/embedded

System integration

Clearance-ready capability

Education

BS/MS in CS/EE/Aerospace/Mech

Tools

Python

Docker

CMake/Conan

Job description

Shield AI seeks a senior engineer to advance autonomy for V-BAT and X-BAT, delivering mission-capable software from simulation to live flight tests. You will work across Aircraft, Autonomy Capabilities, Perception and GCS teams to integrate, validate, and field autonomy software that enables multi-agent coordination and robust mission execution.

You will provide technical leadership, mentor teammates, influence architecture, and support deployments for mature and emerging platforms while