We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer, Embedded Linux Platform to help build and own the operating system and software platform that turns our edge compute hardware into reliable, deployable autonomous systems.
This role sits at the boundary between hardware and application software. You will own the Linux platform and software delivery foundations of our edge compute systems, from hardware bring-up and operating system configuration through reproducible builds, packaging, deployment and operation in the field.
NixOS is our primary deployed operating system and a core technology for this role. You will help evolve and maintain our NixOS-based platform, while also supporting and improving other Linux distributions and environments used across our edge systems. You will develop C++ software and platform tooling, package software and hardware dependencies, integrate vendor BSPs and drivers, and ensure we can reliably build, configure and deploy complete systems across our supported hardware and Linux environments.
You don't need to already be a NixOS expert. We are looking for strong software engineers with experience in Linux systems, embedded Linux or adjacent platform technologies who are interested in developing deep expertise in NixOS. Experience with NixOS is highly valued, as is experience with technologies such as Yocto, Buildroot, Debian/Ubuntu or other Linux build and distribution systems.
The goal is simple: make the path from hardware to deployed software reproducible, reliable and predictable.
What you'll do:
Own and evolve the embedded Linux platforms deployed across our edge compute systems, with NixOS as a primary focus.
Build and maintain operating system images, configurations and software environments for production hardware across multiple Linux distributions.
Evolve and maintain our NixOS platform, including system configuration, packaging and integration of application and hardware dependencies.
Develop C++ systems software and platform tooling that supports the operation, configuration and deployment of our edge systems.
Integrate and maintain vendor BSPs, Linux kernels, device trees, drivers, and hardware-specific dependencies.
Package application software, system components and third-party dependencies using Nix and other platform-appropriate mechanisms.
Develop and improve the mechanisms used to build, configure, version, test and deploy complete software systems onto edge devices.
Bring up new compute platforms and hardware configurations and establish a clear path from initial integration through production deployment.
Define clean interfaces between the operating system, hardware platform and application software so application teams can build on stable and well-supported foundations.
Diagnose challenging problems across application software, userspace Linux, the kernel, drivers and hardware interfaces.
Improve system reliability, boot behaviour, performance, security and resource utilisation.
Develop automated build, test and validation infrastructure for operating system images and hardware/software integration.
Work closely with application, autonomy, perception, hardware and test engineers to integrate new capabilities and hardware into the platform.
Improve the developer experience for engineers building, testing and deploying software onto edge systems.
Establish engineering practices that make deployed systems reproducible, traceable and recoverable.
Required qualifications:
Strong understanding of Linux systems, from userspace through to the kernel and hardware interfaces.
Experience building, configuring or maintaining Linux systems used as part of a deployed product.
Experience with Nix/NixOS, Yocto, Buildroot, Debian/Ubuntu or similar Linux build and distribution technologies. Deep NixOS experience is highly valued but not required.
Strong software engineering experience in modern C++, ideally developing systems software, platform software or software for Linux-based edge devices.
Experience with reproducible builds, dependency management, software packaging or software supply chains.
Experience diagnosing difficult problems that cross application, operating system and hardware boundaries.
Experience with CI/CD and automated build and test systems.
Ability to take ownership of complex platform problems and drive them from initial investigation through deployment and long-term support.
Skills Required
- Minimum 7 years of systems engineering or related experience with a Bachelor's degree, 5 years with a Master's degree, or 2 years with a PhD; equivalent practical experience may be accepted.
- Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM field such as Systems, Software, Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering.
- Experience with systems engineering practices, including writing, structuring, and verifying requirements.
- Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering and system-modeling workflows.
- Experience working on cross-functional technical teams.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Highly organized, methodical, and comfortable managing detailed technical information.
- Ability to read, interpret, and apply engineering drawings, assembly diagrams, parts lists, wiring diagrams, and schematics.
- Demonstrated integrity, high standards, teamwork, and professionalism.
What the Team is Saying
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as excellent, with dental/vision and mental‑health support, and ancillary protections like life and disability appearing in benefit summaries. The breadth and perceived affordability of coverage are highlighted as a standout component of the package.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is featured alongside enhanced maternity benefits, fertility and childcare support, and onsite resources such as a Mother’s Room. These elements are positioned as competitive and above the minimal baseline for the company’s stage.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity is granted to all full‑time hires, with RSUs, double‑trigger tax timing, and tools to model scenarios (e.g., through Carta Tax). Communications also reference a transition from options to RSUs, reinforcing access and maturity of ownership programs.
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.
