Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration – Emerging Domains (R5401)
shieldai
Shield AI is looking for a Staff Software Engineer to join the Autonomous Pilot Integration team in Washington, DC. This is a lead-level role where you'll work on real problems in defense autonomy from day one—not training wheels or make-work projects. If you want to see your code deployed on actual systems, this moves you there faster than most entry paths.
You'll integrate autonomy software onto new platforms and mission types: satellites, unmanned ships, autonomous helicopters, and other systems Shield AI hasn't tackled before. This means combining motion planning, perception, and the HivemindSDK to stand up the first autonomy on a brand-new platform. You'll collaborate across teams and own integration efforts that often become multi-year programs if they work out. Expect short-term R&D sprints followed by larger-scope builds.
Look for this role if you have strong fundamentals in software engineering, some exposure to robotics or systems integration (coursework, projects, or internships), and the ability to learn unfamiliar domains quickly. Computer science or related engineering majors are typical, but your portfolio and problem-solving approach matter more than credentials alone.
Apply through CareerJumpShip with your resume and a short note about what drew you to autonomy work. Shield AI is on-site in DC.
About this role
Founded in 2015, 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 and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. 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 www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 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 lead the technical delivery of complex autonomy capabilities across Emerging Domains, helping establish first-of-their-kind autonomy solutions for new platforms and mission areas. You'll own challenging integration efforts, influence technical direction across multiple subsystems, and work closely with platform teams and cross-functional engineering organizations to transition early R&D efforts into scalable, operational capabilities.
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