What you'll do:
- Lead teams across autonomy, integration, and testing by aligning technical efforts, resolving cross-functional challenges, and driving mission-focused execution. Balance hands-on technical oversight with performance optimization, innovation, and clear stakeholder communication.
- Write production quality software in C++
- Produce an Assured Position, Navigation, and Timing (A-PNT) system to enable reliable autonomy in GNSS-degraded or denied environments
- Extend and specialize Shield AI’s state-of-the-art state estimation framework for new sensors, platforms, and missions
- Write test code to validate your software with simulated and real-world data
- Collaborate with hardware and test teams to validate algorithms/code on aerial platforms
- Write analyzers to ingest data and produce statistics to validate code quality
- Enhance sensor models within a high-fidelity simulation environment
- Work in a fast-paced, collaborative, continuous development environment, enhancing analysis and benchmarking capabilities
Required qualifications:
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience
- Ability to develop, benchmark, debug, and deploy software-based algorithms
- Demonstrated problem solving skills by applying a scientific approach
- Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 9 years and a Master’s degree; or 8 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience
- 2+ years managing technical teams.
- Demonstrated experience integrating and working with sensor payloads in the DoD space
- Proficient with sensor fusion for noisy high-bandwidth exteroceptive sensors on compute-constrained systems
- A solid foundation in theory related to state estimation, object detection, data association, probabilistic robotics, and signal processing.
- Experience working projects with 10+ contributors
- Offers Fast, efficient, effective problem solving approaches
- Exceptional collaborator and communicator
- Comfortability within Unix environments
- Hard-working, trustworthy teammate
- Exhibits holding themselves and others to high standards
- Being kind to others
- Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance
Preferred qualifications:
- MS or greater in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience
- Understanding of robotics technologies related to autonomous behavior development e.g. task allocation or planning.
- Understanding/Experience with unmanned system technologies and accompanying algorithms (specifically air domain)
- Familiarity with high-fidelity simulation and sensor modeling
- Working knowledge of Kalman Filter, Factor Graphs and other modern estimator fundamentals.
- Strong working knowledge of Computer Vision with hands-on experience with OpenCV or similar CV libraries.
- Experience developing sensor effects (control) algorithms.
- Hands-on experience developing or implementing state of the art object detection/recognition pipelines.
- Active SECRET clearance
- Experience with UCI and OMS Standards
Skills Required
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or similar degree (or equivalent experience)
- Ability to develop, benchmark, debug, and deploy software-based algorithms
- Demonstrated scientific problem solving skills
- Minimum of 10 years related experience (or equivalent per degree guidelines)
- 2+ years managing technical teams
- Demonstrated experience integrating and working with sensor payloads in the DoD space
- Proficient with sensor fusion for noisy high-bandwidth exteroceptive sensors on compute-constrained systems
- Solid foundation in state estimation, object detection, data association, probabilistic robotics, and signal processing theory
- Experience working on projects with 10+ contributors
- Effective, fast problem solving approaches
- Exceptional collaboration and communication skills
- Comfortable working in Unix environments
- Ability to obtain a SECRET security clearance
- Hard-working, trustworthy team-oriented mindset and high professional standards
- MS or greater in a relevant field
- Understanding of robotics technologies related to autonomous behavior development (task allocation, planning)
- Experience with unmanned system technologies (air domain) and related algorithms
- Familiarity with high-fidelity simulation and sensor modeling
- Working knowledge of Kalman Filters, Factor Graphs, and modern estimator fundamentals
- Strong working knowledge of computer vision with hands-on experience using OpenCV or similar libraries
- Experience developing sensor effects/control algorithms
- Hands-on experience implementing state-of-the-art object detection/recognition pipelines
- Active SECRET clearance
- Experience with UCI and OMS standards
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
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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Shield AI Teams
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Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
