Senior Manager, Perception (R5914)

Lever, Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 240,000 - 360,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI seeks a senior software leader to drive perception software across aerospace, defense and robotics. You will guide a technical team, integrate perception algorithms, and push advanced state estimation on real hardware for challenging missions.

The role emphasizes hands-on C++ development, cross-functional collaboration with hardware and test teams, and delivering robust software in a fast-paced environment. A SECRET clearance is required or obtainable.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in CS/EE/ME/AE or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years in software or systems engineering.
• 2+ years managing technical teams.
• Experience integrating sensor payloads in the DoD space.
• Proficiency in sensor fusion and state estimation theory.
• Comfortable in Unix environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead autonomy, integration, and testing teams and align effort.
• Write production-quality C++ code.
• Develop an A-PNT system for GNSS-degraded environments.
• Extend state estimation framework for new sensors and missions.
• Write tests and validate with simulated and real data.
• Collaborate with hardware and test teams on aerial platforms.
• Analyze data and produce statistics to validate code quality.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Unix familiarity

Education

BS in CS/EE/ME/AE or equivalent

MS in CS/EE/ME/AE or equivalent

Tools

OpenCV

Job description

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, V-BAT and X-BATaircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description:

As a member of the HMS Perception team, you will conduct software development at the intersection of classical state estimation techniques, sensor fusion, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and machine perception. You will develop cutting-edge technology onto real hardware that provides robust and accurate estimates of vehicle pose and surroundings for real missions. Shield AI is pushing the envelope by applying advanced AI solutions to real hardware systems. An ideal candidate should aspire to be a part of this industry-changing team developing and deploying advanced technology that can truly make an impact.

We are seeking a skilled and motivated leaders with 10+ years of experience to manage a technical team supporting the development, integration, and testing of perception algorithms for advanced aerospace, defense, and robotics systems. In this role, you will contribute to implementing and integrating innovative perception solutions while collaborating with a multidisciplinary team of engineers to meet challenging operational requirements.

What you’ll do:

• Lead teams across autonomy, integration, and testing by aligning technical efforts, resolving cross-functional challenges, and driving mission-focused execution. Balance hands‑on technical oversight with performance optimization, innovation, and clear stakeholder communication.
• Write production quality software in C++
• Produce an Assured Position, Navigation, and Timing (A-PNT) system to enable reliable autonomy in GNSS‑degraded or denied environments
• Extend and specialize Shield AI’s state‑of‑the‑art state estimation framework for new sensors, platforms, and missions
• Write test code to validate your software with simulated and real‑world data
• Collaborate with hardware and test teams to validate algorithms/code on aerial platforms
• Write analyzers to ingest data and produce statistics to validate code quality
• Enhance sensor models within a high‑fidelity simulation environment
• Work in a fast‑paced, collaborative, continuous development environment, enhancing analysis and benchmarking capabilities

Required qualifications:

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience
• Ability to develop, benchmark, debug, and deploy software‑based algorithms
• Demonstrated problem solving skills by applying a scientific approach
• Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 9 years and a Master’s degree; or 8 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience
• 2+ years managing technical teams.
• Demonstrated experience integrating and working with sensor payloads in the DoD space
• Proficient with sensor fusion for noisy high‑bandwidth exteroceptive sensors on compute‑constrained systems
• A solid foundation in theory related to state estimation, object detection, data association, probabilistic robotics, and signal processing.
• Experience working projects with 10+ contributors
• Offers Fast, efficient, effective problem solving approaches
• Exceptional collaborator and communicator
• Comfortability within Unix environments
• Hard‑working, trustworthy teammate
• Exhibits holding themselves and others to high standards
• Being kind to others
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance

Preferred qualifications:

• MS or greater in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience
• Understanding of robotics technologies related to autonomous behavior development e.g. task allocation or planning.
• Understanding/Experience with unmanned system technologies and accompanying algorithms (specifically air domain)
• Familiarity with high‑fidelity simulation and sensor modeling
• Working knowledge of Kalman Filter, Factor Graphs and other modern estimator fundamentals.
• Strong working knowledge of Computer Vision with hands‑on experience with OpenCV or similar CV libraries.
• Experience developing sensor effects (control) algorithms.
• Hands‑on experience developing or implementing state of the art object detection/recognition pipelines.
• Active SECRET clearance
• Experience with UCI and OMS Standards

$240,000 - $360,000 a year

#LI-ED1

#LE

Full-time regular employee offer package:

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:

Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part‑time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed toequal 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.