Shield AI’s mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. We are seeking an Autonomy Software Integration & Test Engineer to support development, integration, testing, and deployment of autonomous systems in Ukraine.
This role is ideal for a hands-on engineer who enjoys working across software, hardware, aircraft systems, and flight operations in fast-paced field environments. The position combines autonomy software development, system integration, and real-world flight testing across unmanned and autonomous platforms.
The ideal candidate is comfortable writing and debugging software, integrating autonomy systems onto fixed-wing, multirotor, and other unmanned or autonomous systems, troubleshooting issues in both lab and field environments, and supporting live flight operations under evolving operational conditions. This role requires an engineer who can move fluidly between software development, aircraft integration, flight testing, demonstrations, and operational troubleshooting in a rapidly growing startup environment.
The ideal candidate demonstrates strong ownership, a bias toward action, and the ability to solve complex problems across software, hardware, and flight operations in rapidly evolving environments.
This role will primarily support operations in the Kyiv region, with occasional travel to other locations within Ukraine for demonstrations, testing, and operational support activities.
What you'll do:
- Develop and contribute production-quality software features and capabilities for autonomous systems
- Design, implement, debug, and maintain software components supporting autonomy, mission execution, system integration, and flight operations
- Integrate autonomy software onto fixed-wing, multirotor, and other unmanned or autonomous systems
- Develop internal tools, automation, telemetry analysis pipelines, and test infrastructure in C++ and Python
- Support software bring-up, system configuration, and mission readiness for flight operations
- Debug and troubleshoot issues across autonomy software, onboard compute, radios, networking, sensors, flight controllers, and mission systems
- Support simulation, SIL, HIL, VIL, ground testing, and live flight test activities
- Support field demonstrations and operational test events, including pre-flight setup, system validation, troubleshooting, and post-flight analysis
- Operate and troubleshoot Ground Control Stations (GCS) and mission support systems
- Capture, analyze, and review flight and system data to support root cause analysis and system improvements
- Work closely with autonomy, systems, hardware, and flight test teams to rapidly integrate and validate new capabilities
- Support rapid software iteration and operational testing in dynamic startup and field environments
- Contribute to operational documentation, test procedures, integration workflows, and deployment readiness activities
- Travel to test sites and support field operations as required
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience
- 3+ years of experience developing and integrating software for robotics, autonomy, aerospace, embedded systems, or related technical fields
- Strong software engineering experience in C++ and Python, including development, debugging, and system integration
- Experience contributing to complex software systems in robotics, autonomy, aerospace, embedded systems, or related domains
- Experience working with Linux-based systems and development environments
- Hands-on experience integrating and troubleshooting hardware and software systems
- Experience supporting field testing, flight testing, demonstrations, or operational exercises
- Familiarity with MAVLink, PX4, ArduPilot, QGroundControl, or related unmanned systems technologies
- Experience debugging distributed or cross-disciplinary systems involving software, networking, sensors, radios, onboard compute, and mission systems
- Strong sense of ownership and ability to operate independently in fast-paced environments
- Strong problem-solving mindset and willingness to work across disciplines
- Ability to travel within Ukraine as required
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience supporting autonomous aircraft or unmanned systems
- Experience with SIL, HIL, VIL, simulation, or flight test environments
- Familiarity with ROS, DDS, embedded systems, or real-time systems
- Experience with RF communications, datalinks, and networking systems
- Experience supporting live flight demonstrations or operational deployments
- Familiarity with flight controllers, avionics systems, and aircraft integration
- Experience building internal tools for testing, automation, telemetry analysis, or operational support
- Background in defense, robotics, aerospace, or autonomous systems
- Ukrainian and English language proficiency
- Experience operating in fast-paced and dynamic field environments
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- 3+ years of experience developing and integrating software for robotics, autonomy, aerospace, embedded systems, or related technical fields
- Strong software engineering experience with C++ and Python, including development, debugging, and system integration
- Experience contributing to complex software systems in robotics, autonomy, aerospace, embedded systems, or related domains
- Experience with Linux-based systems and development environments
- Hands-on experience integrating and troubleshooting hardware and software systems
- Experience supporting field testing, flight testing, demonstrations, or operational exercises
- Familiarity with MAVLink, PX4, ArduPilot, QGroundControl, or related unmanned systems technologies
- Experience debugging distributed or cross-disciplinary systems involving software, networking, sensors, radios, onboard compute, and mission systems
- Strong ownership and ability to work independently in fast-paced environments
- Strong problem-solving mindset and willingness to work across disciplines
- Ability to travel within Ukraine as required
- Experience supporting autonomous aircraft or unmanned systems
- Experience with SIL, HIL, VIL, simulation, or flight test environments
- Familiarity with ROS, DDS, embedded systems, or real-time systems
- Experience with RF communications, datalinks, and networking systems
- Experience supporting live flight demonstrations or operational deployments
- Familiarity with flight controllers, avionics systems, and aircraft integration
- Experience building internal tools for testing, automation, telemetry analysis, or operational support
- Background in defense, robotics, aerospace, or autonomous systems
- Ukrainian and English language proficiency
- Experience operating in fast-paced and dynamic field environments
What the Team is Saying
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.
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Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
