Senior Staff Engineer, Space Autonomy & Satellite Ops

Shieldai; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI is a defense-tech company delivering autonomy software and space-focused solutions. The Autonomy Capabilities Team develops multi-agent coordination, optimization, and mission planning across air, space, and defense contexts.

You will drive the technical direction for autonomy architectures, mentoring engineers and decomposing complex customer needs into concrete designs. The Sr Staff Engineer role focuses on leading the portfolio, balancing theory with practical implementation, and

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical/Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering or equivalent degree.
• 10+ years of related aerospace experience with advanced degrees considered for seniority.
• Proficiency in C++ and Python; familiarity with RTOS.
• Background in robotics: motion planning, behavior modeling, decision-making, autonomous systems.
• Experience with unmanned systems and related algorithms, ideally space-domain.
• Experience using simulation tools (AFSIM, NGTS) for testing and validation.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-objective optimization for large-scale, distributed decision making.
• Oversee weapons target assignment and motion planning for space fleets.
• Advance state-of-the-art methods in low-SWaP control and tactical behavior.
• Develop high-performance software with clear interfaces and tests.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for seamless integration on real platforms.
• Deploy autonomy capabilities to space vehicles and analyze mission logs.
• Contribute to autonomy roadmaps and prototype new algorithms.

Skills

Problem solving

Communication

Teamwork

Travel readiness

Education

BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or equivalent

Tools

C++

Python

RTOS

AFSIM

NGTS

Job description

Shield AI is a defense-tech company delivering autonomy software and space-focused solutions. The Autonomy Capabilities Team develops multi-agent coordination, optimization, and mission planning across air, space, and defense contexts.

You will drive the technical direction for autonomy architectures, mentoring engineers and decomposing complex customer needs into concrete designs. The Sr Staff Engineer role focuses on leading the portfolio, balancing theory with practical implementation, and