# Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration (R5395) **Company**: Shield AI **Location**: San Mateo, California **Work arrangement**: onsite **Experience**: staff **Job type**: full-time **Salary**: USD 234,240-351,360 per-year-salary **Category**: Engineering **Industry**: Technology **Apply**: https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai/1b05ba43-1659-42d9-89c5-91e204da8d1f?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply **Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/jobs/job_2b5dde66-702 ## Description Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. The Autonomous Pilot Integration team builds autonomy solutions for a wide range of CONOPs and mission sets. As a Staff Software Engineer, you will write new autonomy code, own it end-to-end, and serve as a technical leader within the team. ## What You'll Do: - Develop & Field Autonomy , Develop & integrate autonomy software solutions onto unmanned platforms, including payload computer bring-up, container-based deployment, and configuration across onboard compute, sensors, and command-and-control interfaces. - Technical Leadership , Lead a small feature crew or sub-program, set technical direction, break down work, unblock the team, and report progress to leadership and stakeholders. - Collaboration Across Teams , Act as a primary technical interface with the Autonomy Capabilities team, the Perception team, feature crews, and external partners. - Mentorship & Growth , Mentor mid-level engineers on the team, partner with managers on onboarding, leveling, and growth planning. - Design & Documentation , Drive design reviews, ICDs, and post-mortems for your area. - Pre-deployment Preparation , Own the build, configuration, and validation process for mission-ready systems. - On-site Test & Mission Support , Travel to test sites and support live mission operations. - Hardware/Software Debugging , Diagnose and resolve integration issues across complex autonomy stacks, payload computers, and embedded systems. - Mission Data & Debrief Support , Capture mission and test data, reproduce issues in simulation, and partner with autonomy capability owners to drive fixes back into the next build. - Continuous Improvement , Build tools and processes to improve integration timelines, test/mission reliability, and team efficiency across deployment cycles. - C2 Interoperability & Standards , Own the interface contracts with C2 providers and drive standards compliance for your area. - Hiring , Interview candidates, help define the skills bar for open roles in your area, and onboard new engineers into your sub-program. ## Required Qualifications: - BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience. - Typically requires a minimum of 7 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 5 years and a Master’s degree; or 4 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience. - Proficiency in C++, with experience developing or integrating real-time or latency-sensitive systems. - Proficiency in Linux-based development and experience working with embedded systems, shell scripting, and system diagnostics. - Familiarity with middleware, pub-sub, or IPC frameworks used in autonomy or robotics systems. - Hands-on experience supporting demos, exercises, or field/mission tests for unmanned or autonomous systems. - Experience with autonomy simulation environments for testing and validation. - Demonstrated experience leading a small technical team or owning a major capability from design through field delivery. - Track record of mentoring engineers and growing technical talent. - Experience authoring or negotiating interface contracts / ICDs with internal or external stakeholders. - Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance across the full stack. - Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment. - Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance. ## Preferred Qualifications: - Direct experience supporting unmanned systems or similar field test campaigns. - Proficiency in Python for scripting, automation, and analysis. - Experience leading a feature crew, sub-program, or small team in an unmanned systems context. - Experience owning customer- or partner-facing technical relationships. - Track record of cross-team improvements. - Familiarity with autonomy stacks, motion planning, or vehicle-control integration. - Competence in vehicle electronics bring-up, payload computer integration, or hardware-in-the-loop debugging. - Experience with container orchestration on embedded or payload compute. - Familiarity with platform control / autopilot stacks. - Proficiency in developing automation tools for system testing, logging, and data parsing. - Build-system experience and CI/CD pipeline familiarity. - Comfortable interfacing with DoD stakeholders during field events or technical reviews. - Experience with C2 standards. - Familiarity with government-furnished simulation environments. ## Skills ### Required - C++ - Linux-based development - embedded systems - shell scripting - system diagnostics - middleware - pub-sub - IPC frameworks - autonomy simulation environments - leadership - mentorship - interface contracts - ICDs - problem-solving - troubleshooting - optimization - communication - teamwork ### Nice to have - Python - unmanned systems - field test campaigns - autonomy stacks - motion planning - vehicle-control integration - container orchestration - platform control - autopilot stacks - automation tools - build-system experience - CI/CD pipeline familiarity - DoD stakeholders - C2 standards - government-furnished simulation environments --- Source: [Apply at jobs.lever.co](https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai/1b05ba43-1659-42d9-89c5-91e204da8d1f?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply)