Senior Staff Software Engineer, Autonomy Capabilities (R4587)

<div><span data-contrast="auto">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&nbsp;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&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://shield.ai/"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">www.shield.ai</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">. Follow Shield AI on&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/shield-ai"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">LinkedIn</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">,&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://x.com/shieldaitech"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">X</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">,&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/shield_ai"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">Instagram</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">, and&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/@Shield_AI"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">YouTube</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}">&nbsp;</span></div><div><br></div><div> <p><span data-contrast="none">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. &nbsp;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). &nbsp;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.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335557856&quot;:16185078,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}">&nbsp;</span></p> </div> <div> <p><span data-contrast="none">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.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335557856&quot;:16185078,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}">&nbsp;</span></p> </div><h3>What you'll do: </h3> <li><strong>Tactical Autonomy Design</strong> – Design tactical autonomy algorithms to enable unmanned aircraft to perform complex missions across air, land, and sea domains with minimal human supervision.</li> <li><strong>High-Performance Software Development</strong> – Develop high-performance software modules that incorporate planning, decision-making, and behavior execution strategies for dynamic and adversarial environments.</li> <li><strong>Behavior Architecture Implementation</strong> – Implement and test behavior architectures that enable multi-agent coordination, target engagement, reconnaissance, and survivability in contested scenarios.</li> <li><strong>Hybrid Autonomy Integration</strong> – Work at the intersection of classical autonomy and machine learning, blending rule-based systems with learning-based methods such as reinforcement learning to achieve robust, adaptive behavior.</li> <li><strong>Cross-Functional Collaboration</strong> – Collaborate with cross-functional teams including perception, planning, simulation, hardware, and flight test to ensure seamless integration of autonomy solutions on real-world platforms.</li> <li><strong>Deployment &amp; Field Testing</strong> – Deploy autonomy capabilities to real platforms and participate in field tests and flight demos, validating performance in operationally relevant conditions.</li> <li><strong>Mission Data Analysis</strong> – Analyze mission logs and performance data to diagnose failures, optimize behavior models, and inform iterative development.</li> <li><strong>R&amp;D and Roadmapping</strong> – Contribute to the autonomy roadmap by researching and prototyping new algorithms, identifying tactical capability gaps, and proposing novel solutions that advance Shield AI’s mission.</li> <li><strong>Program Support &amp; Adaptation</strong> – Support defense-focused programs and customer needs by adapting autonomy solutions to evolving mission sets, compliance requirements, and operational feedback.</li> <li><strong>Travel Requirement</strong> – Members of this team typically travel around 10-15% of the year (to different office locations, customer sites, and flight integration events).</li> <h3>Required Qualifications:</h3> <li>BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience</li> <li>Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 9 years and a Master’s degree; or 7 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience.</li> <li>Proficiency in programming languages such as C++ and Python, and familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS).</li> <li>Significant background in robotics technologies related to motion planning, behavior modeling, decision-making, or autonomous system design.&nbsp;</li> <li>Significant experience with unmanned system technologies and accompanying algorithms (specifically air domain)&nbsp;</li> <li>Experience with simulation tools and environments (e.g., AFSIM, NGTS) for testing and validation.</li> <li>Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance.</li> <li>Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment.</li> <li>Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.&nbsp;</li> <h3>Preferred Qualifications:</h3> <li>Experience applying ML/RL techniques in autonomy pipelines.</li> <li>Background in collaborative behaviors, swarm robotics, or distributed decision-making.</li> <li>Familiarity with tactical behaviors for unmanned systems in DoD or government programs.</li> <li>Work on behaviors applicable across air, ground, and maritime vehicles.</li> <li>Hands-on experience supporting flight demos or live exercises.</li> <li>Experience with UCI and OMS Standards</li>