Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
The Role
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent, autonomous systems. Its products include Hivemind Enterprise—EdgeOS, Pilot, Commander, and Forge—as well as V-BAT and Sentient Vision Systems (wide-area motion imaging software). With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X and Instagram.
Job Description:
As a Staff Engineer for Ground Control Software, you will contribute to building and optimizing user-facing software systems that interface with our unmanned aerial systems (UAS). You will develop and enhance ground control systems and intuitive front-end interfaces that empower users to efficiently control and monitor UAS operations. You will drive impactful projects by collaborating across multiple teams to ensure seamless integration and delivery of high-quality software.
What you'll do:
- Develop and optimize ground control software to ensure effective communication between UAVs and control systems.
- Design and build intuitive, user-friendly front-end interfaces for ground control operations.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including back-end developers, autonomy engineers, and UX/UI designers, to deliver integrated solutions.
- Implement real-time data visualization and control tools for UAV operations.
- Ensure software systems are robust, scalable, and meet performance requirements for real-time operations.
- Continuously improve development practices, prioritizing code quality, maintainability, and user-centered design principles.
- Contribute to the planning, execution, and delivery of medium-sized projects with a high level of autonomy and collaboration.
Required qualifications:
- Minimum of 7 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 4 years of experience; or equivalent experience.
- Extensive experience in software development, focusing on front-end technologies (e.g., JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML5, CSS, React, Angular, Vue.js).
- Experience with containerization and container management using Kubernetes, Docker, etc.
- Experience developing software to interface with web APIs, including proficiency with gRPC and RESTful APIs.
- Proven track record of delivering complex software products as an individual contributor.
- Experience in developing and optimizing ground control software or real-time control systems.
- Strong understanding of real-time communication protocols and back-end integration.
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with a focus on delivering user-centric software solutions.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Proven track record of successfully shipping products and meeting project deadlines in fast-paced environments.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as part of a collaborative, cross-functional team.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience with UAVs or other autonomous systems.
- Experience with C++ 11 or newer.
- Experience with international interoperability standards like STANAG4586.
- Familiarity with cloud-based software architectures and IoT platforms.
- Knowledge of cybersecurity principles and practices in software development.
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Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Shield AI and has not been reviewed or approved by Shield AI.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as excellent, spanning medical, dental, vision, mental‑health EAP, and optional pet insurance. Location‑based wellness perks such as onsite or discounted gym access reinforce the health offering.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity is positioned as a standard component of total rewards for full‑time employees, with stock/RSUs noted across roles. Access appears broad‑based rather than limited to select cohorts.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time‑off programs highlight paid parental leave alongside an accrual‑based PTO structure with a high carryover cap. Flexibility elements such as flexible hours complement the core leave offering.
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The Company
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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