Staff Engineer, System Test Network (R6030)

Shield; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 144,000 - 216,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a seasoned network engineer to design, implement, and maintain scalable lab networks supporting HIL, integration, and simulation environments. You will focus on fabricing Layer 2/3 configurations, automation, and repeatable deployment of complex networks across programs.

The role requires strong Python scripting, hands-on experience with switches/routers/firewalls, and the ability to work across lab and flight-test settings. A SECRET clearance is preferred.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 3 years with a Master's degree; or equivalent practical experience in network engineering, systems integration, test infrastructure, or software development.
• Strong knowledge of Ethernet and TCP/IP networking, including switching, routing, subnetting, VLANs, multicast, DNS, DHCP, network address translation, quality of service, and common transport protocols.
• Hands-on experience configuring and troubleshooting managed switches, routers, firewalls, Linux hosts, and networked computing systems in laboratory, development, or production environments.
• Proficiency in Python or a comparable language for network automation, configuration generation, API integration, test development, data processing, or infrastructure tooling.
• Experience developing and executing structured network or system tests using tools such as Wireshark, tcpdump, iperf, traffic generators, device telemetry, and application logs.
• Experience supporting complex HIL, integration-lab, distributed-system, or test-infrastructure environments with shared resources and multiple engineering users.
• Experience with source control, configuration management, technical documentation, network diagrams, issue tracking, and disciplined change-control practices.
• Strong analytical, communication, and customer-service skills, with the ability to prioritize cross-program needs, troubleshoot under schedule pressure, and support occasional off-hours lab activities.
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, configure, and maintain scalable network architectures for HIL laboratories, integration environments, simulation systems, and shared test infrastructure across multiple programs.
• Define and manage Layer 2 and Layer 3 configurations, including addressing, VLANs, routing, multicast, quality of service, access controls, redundancy, and time-synchronization services.
• Develop and maintain networking software, configuration-as-code, automation tools, and validation utilities that make lab network deployment repeatable, reviewable, and recoverable.
• Integrate switches, routers, firewalls, servers, real-time compute, simulators, flight computers, sensors, radios, and other program hardware into representative HIL and program network environments.
• Develop and execute network test plans that measure connectivity, interoperability, throughput, latency, jitter, packet loss, multicast behavior, failover, and performance under load.
• Build network observability capabilities using packet capture, device telemetry, logs, metrics, alerts, dashboards, and automated health checks to identify issues before they disrupt testing.
• Reproduce, isolate, and resolve complex network and distributed-system issues using Wireshark, tcpdump, traffic generators, device diagnostics, application logs, and controlled experiments.
• Partner with Solutions & Integration teams to reproduce deployed networking issues, translate customer and operational feedback into representative HIL network configurations and tests, and provide second-line network support for customer demonstrations, exercises, and evaluations.
• Maintain authoritative network baselines, IP address assignments, hardware inventories, cable and port maps, architecture diagrams, interface-control documentation, and change records.
• Integrate network configuration and test automation into source-control and CI/CD workflows, including peer review, automated verification, deployment, rollback, and auditability.
• Evaluate network equipment and technologies, support capacity planning and procurement, standardize reusable solutions, and provide technical guidance to lab users and program teams.

Skills

Ethernet

TCP/IP

Switching

Routing

VLANs

Multicast

DNS

DHCP

QoS

Time synchronization

Switches

Routers

Firewalls

Linux

Python

Wireshark

tcpdump

iperf

Source control

Analytical skills

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Master's degree in a related field

Tools

Ansible

Netmiko

NAPALM

Terraform

Cisco

Arista

Juniper

NVIDIA

Docker

Kubernetes

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-BAT aircraft, 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 .

Candidates for this role will join the HIL and Infrastructure team to provide network engineering support across HMS programs and projects. The role focuses on designing, developing, testing, and sustaining program-specific networks, including software-defined radios and complex radio systems that integrate devices, payloads, sensors, flight hardware, autonomy software, simulations, and supporting equipment and services. This engineer will also support shared HIL and test infrastructure and will develop and own repeatable network configurations and networking software across program and laboratory environments. We are looking for someone who combines strong network engineering fundamentals, disciplined software development practices, and a structured approach to system testing.

What You'll Do:

• Design, build, configure, and maintain scalable network architectures for HIL laboratories, integration environments, simulation systems, and shared test infrastructure across multiple programs
• Define and manage Layer 2 and Layer 3 configurations, including addressing, VLANs, routing, multicast, quality of service, access controls, redundancy, and time-synchronization services
• Develop and maintain networking software, configuration-as-code, automation tools, and validation utilities that make lab network deployment repeatable, reviewable, and recoverable
• Integrate switches, routers, firewalls, servers, real-time compute, simulators, flight computers, sensors, radios, and other program hardware into representative HIL and program network environments, including mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) using Persistent Systems MPU5/Wave Relay, Silvus StreamCaster, and comparable tactical and SDR platforms
• Develop and execute network test plans that measure connectivity, interoperability, throughput, latency, jitter, packet loss, multicast behavior, failover, and performance under load
• Build network observability capabilities using packet capture, device telemetry, logs, metrics, alerts, dashboards, and automated health checks to identify issues before they disrupt testing
• Reproduce, isolate, and resolve complex network and distributed-system issues using Wireshark, tcpdump, traffic generators, device diagnostics, application logs, and controlled experiments
• Partner with Solutions & Integration teams to reproduce deployed networking issues, translate customer and operational feedback into representative HIL network configurations and tests, and provide second-line network support for customer demonstrations, exercises, and evaluations
• Maintain authoritative network baselines, IP address assignments, hardware inventories, cable and port maps, architecture diagrams, interface-control documentation, and change records
• Integrate network configuration and test automation into source-control and CI/CD workflows, including peer review, automated verification, deployment, rollback, and auditability
• Evaluate network equipment and technologies, support capacity planning and procurement, standardize reusable solutions, and provide technical guidance to lab users and program teams

Required Qualifications:

• Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 3 years with a Master's degree; or equivalent practical experience in network engineering, systems integration, test infrastructure, or software development.
• Strong knowledge of Ethernet and TCP/IP networking, including switching, routing, subnetting, VLANs, multicast, DNS, DHCP, network address translation, quality of service, and common transport protocols.
• Hands-on experience configuring and troubleshooting managed switches, routers, firewalls, Linux hosts, and networked computing systems in laboratory, development, or production environments.
• Proficiency in Python or a comparable language for network automation, configuration generation, API integration, test development, data processing, or infrastructure tooling.
• Experience developing and executing structured network or system tests using tools such as Wireshark, tcpdump, iperf, traffic generators, device telemetry, and application logs.
• Experience supporting complex HIL, integration-lab, distributed-system, or test-infrastructure environments with shared resources and multiple engineering users.
• Experience with source control, configuration management, technical documentation, network diagrams, issue tracking, and disciplined change-control practices.
• Strong analytical, communication, and customer-service skills, with the ability to prioritize cross-program needs, troubleshoot under schedule pressure, and support occasional off-hours lab activities.
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting aerospace, defense, robotics, autonomous systems, avionics, flight-test, or other mission-critical engineering programs.
• Experience with HIL, SIL, or VIL test environments, real-time simulation, flight computers, sensors, vehicle networks, or aircraft integration laboratories.
• Advanced experience with multicast routing, precision time protocol, network timing, deterministic networking, traffic shaping, redundancy, or high-availability design.
• Experience with network-automation and infrastructure-as-code tools such as Ansible, Netmiko, NAPALM, Terraform, or vendor APIs and software development kits.
• Familiarity with enterprise network operating systems and hardware from vendors such as Cisco, Arista, Juniper, NVIDIA, or equivalent platforms.
• Experience with virtualization, containers, Docker, Kubernetes, virtual switching, software-defined networking, or cloud-connected test infrastructure.
• Experience implementing network security controls, secure remote access, vulnerability remediation, zero-trust principles, or DoD security and hardening requirements.
• Experience configuring, integrating, and troubleshooting tactical MANET and mesh-radio systems, particularly Persistent Systems MPU5/Wave Relay and Silvus StreamCaster platforms, including RF and IP-network performance, routing, multicast, voice, video, data, and connectivity among airborne, ground, and laboratory nodes. Familiarity with tactical data links, serial communications, CAN, DDS, or gateways that bridge aircraft and laboratory network interfaces.

$144,400 - $216,000 a year

#LD

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.

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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.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.