The Autonomous Pilot Integration team for Emerging Domains builds autonomy solutions for new platforms and mission profiles outside Shield AI's established portfolios—including space (satellites, missile defense), maritime (USV and UUV integration), and contested logistics (unmanned helicopters and related autonomous resupply platforms). The team takes on short-term R&D and integration efforts—often standing up the first autonomy on a brand-new platform or mission—with the intent that successful efforts grow into larger, multi-year programs. We combine capabilities from the Autonomy Capabilities team (motion planning, tactics), the Perception team (e.g., ViDAR, ATR), and the HivemindSDK—selectively leveraging existing Shield AI autonomy solutions where they apply—to develop autonomy that runs on these new platforms. Our engineers write new autonomy code—such as mission behaviors, platform-specific control, multi-agent coordination, contingencies, and executive autonomy—and own it end-to-end from software-in-the-loop, to hardware-in-the-loop, to vehicle-in-the-loop, to live test exercise.
In this role, you'll develop and integrate autonomy capabilities across a variety of emerging-domain platforms while helping establish autonomy on systems that often have no existing autonomy baseline. You'll work closely with platform teams, the Autonomy Capabilities, Perception, and GCS teams, feature crews, and customer stakeholders to solve complex integration challenges and deliver mission-ready autonomy software. This is a hands-on role for engineers who enjoy working across diverse platforms, solving ambiguous technical problems, and seeing new capabilities operate in real-world environments.
What You'll Do:
Stand Up New Capabilities – Help establish autonomy on new platforms and mission areas by integrating existing Shield AI capabilities with platform-specific software and developing new autonomy where needed.
Develop & Field Autonomy – Develop and integrate autonomy software onto emerging-domain platforms, including platform and autopilot integration, payload and sensor integration, mission behaviors, multi-agent coordination, and validation through software-, hardware-, vehicle-, and live testing.
Platform Team Partnerships – Partner closely with platform teams to integrate autonomy capabilities, validate interfaces, coordinate hardware/software compatibility, and support mission readiness.
Collaboration Across Teams & Partners – Work with the Autonomy Capabilities, Perception, GCS teams, feature crews, and customer/program offices to deliver integrated autonomy solutions.
Design & Documentation – Contribute to design reviews, ICDs, integration planning, and post-mortems while improving engineering rigor across teams.
Pre-deployment Preparation – Build, configure, validate, and prepare mission-ready systems while coordinating release readiness with platform and capability teams.
On-site Test & Mission Support – Support flight tests, maritime trials, ground testing, customer demonstrations, and operational exercises through system bring-up, troubleshooting, and mission execution.
Hardware/Software Debugging – Diagnose and resolve integration issues across autonomy software, payload computers, embedded systems, and platform interfaces.
Mission Data & Debrief Support – Capture mission data, reproduce issues in simulation, and partner with capability owners to rapidly improve future releases.
Continuous Improvement – Develop tools and engineering processes that improve integration velocity, testing reliability, and mission readiness.
C2 Interoperability & Standards – Implement and validate interfaces with command-and-control systems while supporting program-appropriate interoperability standards.
Travel Requirement – Members of this team typically travel around 10–20% of the year to different office locations, customer sites, operator training events, flight tests, and integration exercises.
Required Qualifications:
BS/MS in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent practical experience.
Typically requires 5+ years of relevant experience.
Strong proficiency in C++ and Linux-based development.
Experience integrating embedded or real-time software systems.
Experience supporting integration, testing, or operational field events.
Strong systems-level problem-solving skills.
Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience with autonomous aircraft, maritime systems, spacecraft, or robotics.
Experience with autonomy software, autopilot integration, or robotics frameworks.
Python, Docker, or CI/CD experience.
Experience working in early-stage R&D or rapid prototyping environments.
Experience supporting DoD customers or field demonstrations.
Skills Required
- BS/MS in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent experience
- Typically requires 5+ years of relevant experience
- Strong proficiency in C++
- Linux-based development experience
- Experience integrating embedded or real-time software systems
- Experience supporting integration, testing, or operational field events
- Strong systems-level problem-solving skills
- Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance
- Experience with autonomous aircraft, maritime systems, spacecraft, or robotics
- Experience with autonomy software, autopilot integration, or robotics frameworks
- Python experience
- Docker experience
- CI/CD experience
- Experience working in early-stage R&D or rapid prototyping environments
- Experience supporting DoD customers or field demonstrations
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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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
