Shield AI is seeking a Senior Software Engineer (Integration) to serve as the software SME for the V-BAT Fleet Support team. In this role, you will own customer-facing engineering support for software issues affecting aircraft operations, onboard software, mission software, ground control interactions, logging, configuration, and subsystem integration across the fielded fleet.
You will serve as the bridge between Fleet Support and the software, autonomy, avionics, and systems engineering teams, helping transform field-reported issues into reproducible technical findings, corrective actions, and long-term product improvements.
What you'll do:
- Serve as the software SME for Fleet Support and lead escalated investigations involving fielded aircraft and mission software.
- Triage and root-cause software issues affecting aircraft behavior, mission execution, subsystem integration, logging, configuration, and deployed operations.
- Reproduce customer-reported issues in lab, simulation, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments.
- Analyze logs, telemetry, and system state to distinguish software defects from hardware, network, installation, or operator-workflow issues.
- Debug integration points across onboard compute, ground control applications, payload interfaces, and external software dependencies.
- Troubleshoot application programming interface (API) issues, configuration issues, and software-to-hardware interactions in operational environments.
- Build and maintain lightweight tools, scripts, and automated checks that improve triage quality, reproducibility, and field support efficiency.
- Support release readiness, validation, software deployment troubleshooting, and recovery planning for customer-facing operations.
- Turn recurring fleet issues into actionable bug reports, engineering requirements, and product-improvement recommendations.
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline.
- 5+ years of experience in software engineering for robotics, autonomy, aerospace, unmanned aircraft systems, embedded systems, or other mission-critical platforms.
- Strong programming skills in C++ and Python.
- Strong Linux troubleshooting and systems-debug experience.
- Experience debugging software that interfaces with hardware, sensors, networks, or distributed systems.
- Ability to turn vague field symptoms into structured, reproducible technical findings.
- Strong communication skills in cross-functional and customer-facing environments.
- Ability to possess a Secret DoD security clearance as required by customers.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience with autonomy software, flight software, embedded avionics software, or ground control software.
- Experience with simulation, HIL, or automated test tooling.
- Experience supporting deployed software, integration test, or operational validation efforts.
- Experience supporting customer-site deployments or operational readiness events.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline.
- 5+ years experience in software engineering for robotics, autonomy, aerospace, UAS, embedded systems, or mission-critical platforms.
- Strong programming skills in C++ and Python.
- Strong Linux troubleshooting and systems-debug experience.
- Experience debugging software that interfaces with hardware, sensors, networks, or distributed systems.
- Ability to turn vague field symptoms into structured, reproducible technical findings.
- Strong communication skills in cross-functional and customer-facing environments.
- Ability to possess a Secret DoD security clearance as required by customers.
- Experience with autonomy software, flight software, embedded avionics software, or ground control software.
- Experience with simulation, HIL, or automated test tooling.
- Experience supporting deployed software, integration test, or operational validation efforts.
- Experience supporting customer-site deployments or operational readiness events.
What the Team is Saying
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Company materials describe excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage alongside a mental‑health EAP. Site perks such as an onsite gym in DC and a gym discount in San Diego support a health‑focused offering.
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Retirement Support — Careers materials highlight a 401(k) with company match as part of the standard package. A Total Rewards overview emphasizes retirement features within a broader, transparent compensation view.
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Career-Linked Recognition & Rewards — Compensation for in‑demand technical and senior go‑to‑market roles is described as competitive, with visible engineering ranges and top‑end packages. This points to meaningful upside tied to role, level, and scarce skills.
Shield AI Insights
What We Do
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide.
Why Work With Us
What makes Shield AI special is our people. We unlock the power of autonomy, and in the face of overwhelming odds and challenges, we find ways to win and make a difference for our customers. We bring together software, AI, and aerospace engineering disciplines to deploy the most intelligent aviation capabilities in the world.
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Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
