The Autonomous Pilot Integration team for launched effects builds autonomy solutions for small, often air- or ground-launched platforms that operate in multi-agent fleets and frequently in disconnected or air-gapped environments. We combine capabilities from the Autonomy Capabilities team (motion planning, tactics), the Perception team (e.g., track fusion), and the HivemindSDK to develop the autonomy software that runs on launched effects platforms, then integrate, validate, and field it on the real hardware—for U.S. and international defense customers. 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 define the technical direction for the Launched Effects portfolio, driving the evolution of autonomy architecture across multiple programs while ensuring scalable, mission-ready solutions for fleet-scale operations. You'll solve the organization's most complex integration challenges, influence long-term technical strategy, and partner with engineering leadership, the Autonomy Capabilities and Perception teams, autopilot vendors, C2 providers, and customer stakeholders to deliver autonomy capabilities that perform reliably in operational environments.
What You'll Do:
Technical Strategy & Portfolio Leadership – Define the long-term technical direction for the Launched Effects portfolio; drive common integration patterns, architecture, and engineering strategy that enable scalable fleet operations across current and future programs.
Develop & Field Autonomy – Guide the development and integration of mission autonomy, platform interfaces, executive autonomy, multi-agent coordination, and fleet-scale deployment capabilities while ensuring successful operational delivery across launched effects programs.
Collaboration Across Teams & Partners – Build strong technical partnerships across the Autonomy Capabilities team, Perception team, feature crews, autopilot vendors, C2 providers, customer organizations, and engineering leadership; influence architecture and technical direction beyond the portfolio.
Design & Documentation – Lead cross-functional architecture reviews, interface standards, ICDs, and post-mortems while raising engineering rigor and technical consistency across multiple organizations.
Mentorship & Organizational Growth – Mentor Staff and Senior engineers, develop future technical leaders, contribute to engineering standards and leveling, and partner with managers on senior hiring.
Pre-deployment Preparation – Guide Capability Release planning, fleet-scale deployment strategies, mission validation, and operational readiness across multiple programs.
On-site Test & Mission Support – Provide senior technical leadership during critical flight tests, customer demonstrations, and operational exercises where deep systems integration expertise is required.
Hardware/Software Debugging – Lead resolution of the organization's most complex autonomy integration challenges spanning software, embedded systems, networking, platform interfaces, and operational environments.
Mission Data & Debrief Support – Drive post-mission analysis, identify systemic improvements, and influence long-term technical investments based on operational learnings.
Continuous Improvement – Drive organization-wide improvements to engineering processes, testing infrastructure, integration workflows, developer experience, and mission reliability.
C2 Interoperability & Standards – Define technical strategy for command-and-control interoperability; shape interface evolution with internal and external stakeholders while driving adoption of common message and open-systems standards (e.g., UCI, OMS, MOSA, WOSA, TAK/CoT).
Hiring & Developing Technical Talent – Define the technical hiring bar for senior engineering roles, partner with engineering managers on long-term staffing strategy, and help grow the organization's technical capabilities.
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 10+ years of relevant experience.
Expert-level C++ and Linux systems development experience.
Demonstrated experience defining technical strategy across multiple engineering teams or programs.
Proven track record influencing architecture and solving highly complex autonomy integration challenges.
Experience mentoring senior engineers and driving engineering excellence across an organization.
Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.
Preferred Qualifications:
Extensive experience with launched effects, autonomous systems, or distributed robotic platforms.
Experience defining autopilot integration strategies and multi-agent autonomy architectures.
Experience leading fleet-scale or disconnected operational deployments.
Experience with military operational testing and international defense customers.
Experience with UCI, OMS, MOSA, WOSA, TAK/CoT, or similar open architectures.
Experience shaping engineering practices across multiple teams or organizations.
Skills Required
- BS/MS in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent practical experience
- 10+ years of relevant experience
- Expert-level C++ development experience
- Linux systems development experience
- Demonstrated experience defining technical strategy across multiple engineering teams or programs
- Proven track record solving complex autonomy integration challenges and influencing architecture
- Experience mentoring senior engineers and driving engineering excellence
- Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance
- Extensive experience with launched effects, autonomous systems, or distributed robotic platforms
- Experience defining autopilot integration strategies and multi-agent autonomy architectures
- Experience leading fleet-scale or disconnected operational deployments
- Experience with military operational testing and international defense customers
- Experience with UCI, OMS, MOSA, WOSA, TAK/CoT or similar open architectures
- Experience shaping engineering practices across multiple teams or organizations
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 Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
