This role sits at the intersection of software engineering, platform engineering, cyber security, and defence systems engineering. The DevSecOps Engineer works alongside autonomy, software, systems, integration, and test engineers to create secure and reliable development environments and delivery pipelines that enable teams to rapidly develop, integrate, test, and deploy mission critical software.
The ideal candidate has a strong software and platform engineering background combined with significant experience operating within UK defence environments. They have a strong understanding of the UK Ministry of Defence/NATO approach to DevSecOps, Secure by Design, cyber risk management, security assurance, and the delivery of software into classified and operational environments.
What You’ll Do
- Design, build, and operate secure development and deployment infrastructure for Shield AI autonomy and defence programmes.
- Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines that enable rapid, repeatable, and secure delivery of autonomy and mission software.
- Embed security throughout the software development lifecycle, ensuring security controls, testing, evidence, and assurance are integrated into engineering workflows rather than treated as separate activities.
- Apply UK MOD Secure by Design principles throughout the development lifecycle and help engineering teams understand and meet their responsibilities for cyber security and technical assurance.
- Work closely with software, autonomy, systems, cyber security, integration, and test engineers to establish development environments that support rapid engineering while meeting defence security requirements.
- Design and maintain development and deployment environments spanning cloud, on premises infrastructure, laboratory environments, simulation, hardware in the loop, and operational platforms.
- Enable secure software development and deployment across different security classifications and appropriately segmented development environments.
- Implement automated security controls within CI/CD pipelines, including static analysis, dependency scanning, container scanning, secrets detection, software composition analysis, vulnerability management, and policy enforcement.
- Champion a DevSecOps culture where software engineers take ownership of the security, reliability, deployability, and operational performance of the systems they develop.
Required Qualifications
- BS or MS in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Cyber Security, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
- 5+ years of experience in DevOps, DevSecOps, platform engineering, site reliability engineering, software engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Significant experience delivering software or digital capabilities within UK defence or another highly regulated national security environment.
- Strong understanding of the UK Ministry of Defence/NATO approach to DevSecOps and Secure by Design, including the integration of cyber security and risk management throughout the capability lifecycle.
- Experience applying MOD security policies, security assurance processes, and technical security requirements to software intensive defence programmes.
- Experience developing and operating CI/CD pipelines using modern source control, build, test, artefact management, and deployment technologies.
- Strong understanding of Infrastructure as Code, configuration management, containerisation, and infrastructure automation
- Experience with technologies such as Git, GitLab or GitHub, or equivalent tooling.
Desirable Qualifications
- Experience supporting DevSecOps, software delivery, or digital engineering activities across NATO nations or multinational defence programmes.
- Understanding of DevSecOps approaches, security frameworks, and software assurance practices used by other NATO nations, particularly the United States and European NATO partners.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Cyber Security, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
- 5+ years of experience in DevOps, DevSecOps, platform engineering, site reliability engineering, software engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Significant experience delivering software or digital capabilities within UK defense or another highly regulated national security environment.
- Strong understanding of the UK Ministry of Defence/NATO approach to DevSecOps and Secure by Design.
- Experience integrating cybersecurity, risk management, MOD security policies, security assurance processes, and technical security requirements into software-intensive defense programs.
- Experience developing and operating CI/CD pipelines using modern source control, build, testing, artifact management, and deployment technologies.
- Strong understanding of Infrastructure as Code, configuration management, containerization, and infrastructure automation.
- Experience with Git, GitLab, GitHub, or equivalent tooling.
- Experience supporting DevSecOps, software delivery, or digital engineering activities across NATO nations or multinational defense programs.
- Understanding of DevSecOps approaches, security frameworks, and software assurance practices used by other NATO nations, particularly the United States and European NATO partners.
What the Team is Saying
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
-
Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as excellent, with dental/vision and mental‑health support, and ancillary protections like life and disability appearing in benefit summaries. The breadth and perceived affordability of coverage are highlighted as a standout component of the package.
-
Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is featured alongside enhanced maternity benefits, fertility and childcare support, and onsite resources such as a Mother’s Room. These elements are positioned as competitive and above the minimal baseline for the company’s stage.
-
Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity is granted to all full‑time hires, with RSUs, double‑trigger tax timing, and tools to model scenarios (e.g., through Carta Tax). Communications also reference a transition from options to RSUs, reinforcing access and maturity of ownership programs.
Shield AI Insights
What We Do
At Shield AI, you won't wait years to see your work reach the field. You'll build hardware and software that operates in the real world right now, in the hands of the people who depend on it. Hivemind, our AI pilot, has been flying since 2018. It has flown more than 30 platforms, including an F-16, and it now sits under a U.S. Air Force production contract for Collaborative Combat Aircraft. When you write code or shape a system here, you contribute to technology with a proven flight record and a clear production future. V-BAT flies intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions with an operational record that stretches from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific. It delivers eyes where they matter most, in the most demanding conditions on earth. The teams behind it watch their work get tested where the stakes are real. X-BAT takes its first flight this year. It's an AI-piloted fighter that needs no runway, built to operate where traditional aircraft can't. Join now and you help shape a program at its earliest, most formative stage. That's the kind of ground-floor work that defines a career. Do the most impactful work of your life, on problems that matter. Autonomy at this level asks a lot of you. You'll take on problems in perception, planning, and control that few teams anywhere are equipped to solve. You'll work across disciplines, from aerospace and robotics to machine learning and systems engineering, alongside people who hold themselves to an exacting standard and expect the same from you. Our mission is clear: protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. That purpose runs through every decision, every design review, and every deployment. It's why the work here carries a weight you can feel. Ready to join our mission? Explore our open roles and find where you fit.
Why Work With Us
Founded in 2015 by a former Navy SEAL, Shield AI builds AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft. Veterans aren't an afterthought here, they're at every level. It's why the work carries weight: AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft flying real missions, from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific, protecting service members and civilians.
Gallery
%203.jpg)
Shield AI Teams
.jpg)
Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
