Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit
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The Autonomy Capabilities Team develops functionality to automate single- and multi-agent teams of platforms in pursuit of mission objectives and acts as a central discipline-aligned focal-point for encouraging consistent usage of technical approaches across business portfolios. This team operates at all levels of the command-and-control hierarchy (from advanced control laws, through motion planning, and up to advanced tactical behaviors and multi-agent coordination) and across a multitude of mission sets, platform types, and operational domains (e.g., air, sea, space). The team puts a strong emphasis on both fundamentals (e.g., aircraft kinematics/dynamics, trajectory design, optimization, information fusion, efficient algorithms, etc.) and software integration skillsets (e.g. structures, protocols, threading, interface management, etc.) to bring market-differentiating capabilities to customers that seamlessly operate within their integration contexts.
This position is perfect for an individual who enjoys solving complex problems across a diverse set of programs and integration contexts. An ideal candidate is expected to address operational system needs through a multitude of advanced methodologies that blend traditional control system approaches with advanced optimization. Developed solutions are expected to be integrated into real-world platforms with near-term program impacts and rewards and so balancing theory with practice and rigorous implementation is paramount.
What You'll Do:
Implement tactical autonomy software features that enable unmanned platforms to perform complex missions across air, land, sea, and space domains
Develop and test behaviors supporting coordination, target engagement, reconnaissance, and survivability in contested scenarios
Participate in the software development lifecycle, including implementation, testing, debugging, and supporting verification and validation efforts
Collaborate with senior engineers to integrate software components with broader system elements (e.g., sensor processing, communications, and actuation)
Write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code following established engineering standards and team practices
Support integration and testing across simulation and real-world environments
Work with cross-functional teams to understand requirements and support successful feature delivery
Continue building expertise in software engineering, autonomy, and robotics systems
Travel up to 20% to support testing, integration, and collaboration with partner teams
Required Qualifications:
BS in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
Experience in production-level C++ software development
2-3 years of experience in one or more of the following: software sub-system scheduling and integration, behavior planning, task and resource allocation, motion planning, optimization, or flight controls
Experience with collaborative software development tools for version control, issue tracking, code reviews, release management
Ability to contribute to the design, development, and integration of complex software systems as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to learn new technologies in a fast-paced environment
Willingness to collaborate closely with teammates and support team objectives
Interest in growing technical skills and, over time, providing guidance to more junior engineers
Desire to work in a highly collaborative, fast paced, and mission-driven environment
Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
Preferred Qualifications:
Exposure to systems operating at different technology readiness levels (TRLs) through academic, research, or internship experience
Experience in the delivery of a military mission system
Familiarity with mission systems integration concepts, testing, or demonstrations
Experience (academic or project-based) in one or more of the following areas:
Motion planning, behavior planning, or multi-agent coordination
Expose to autonomy, control, or decision-making systems
Safety mechanisms such as collision avoidance or constraint enforcement
Familiarity with robotic software tools (e.g., ROS, OMPL, or similar frameworks)
Experience using simulation environments for development or testing
Basic understanding of navigation and/or communications systems
Awareness of the software or systems development lifecycle
Familiarity with systems engineering fundamentals
Exposure to high-assurance or safety-critical software concepts (e.g., DO-178C or similar)
