Description
Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
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.
As a Staff Software Engineer, Autonomy Capabilities - Space, you will focus on the space portfolio, creating autonomy capabilities for satellites and missile defense applications that span large-scale distributed optimization, automated tasking and scheduling, track fusion, RPO operations, and space vehicle motion/behavior planning.
Responsibilities:
- Multi-Objective Optimization – Use advanced optimization strategies to perform large-scale distributed decision making, task allocation, and resource scheduling in multi-satellite coordinated missions
- Weapons Target Assignment – Employ cutting edge approaches for weapons target assignment and motion planning for fleets of space vehicles and interceptors that have critical roles in our national defense
- Advance the State of the Art – Pioneer advanced topics in low-SWaP optimal control, tactical behavior management in cooperative and adversarial contexts, and information-aware planning
- Rigorous Software Development – Develop high-performance software modules that are well-tested, have clear interfaces and span-of-control, and are ready for mid-to-high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) insertions
- Cross-Functional Collaboration – Collaborate with cross-functional teams including perception, planning, simulation, hardware, and flight test to ensure seamless integration of autonomy solutions on real-world platforms
- Deployment & Test Support – Deploy autonomy capabilities to real space vehicles, supporting analysis of mission logs to verify software performance and validate system operational effect
- R&D and Road-mapping – Contribute to autonomy roadmaps by researching and prototyping new algorithms, identifying tactical capability gaps, and proposing novel solutions that advance Shield AI’s mission
Requirements:
- Typically requires a minimum of 7 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or 4 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience
- Proficiency in programming languages such as C++ and Python, and familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS)
- Significant background in one or several robotic technology areas related to control systems, motion planning, optimization, tactical behaviors, and/or distributed decision-making
- Significant experience with unmanned system technologies and accompanying algorithms (ideally in the space domain specifically)
- Experience with simulation tools and environments (e.g., AFSIM, NGTS, or similar) for testing and validation
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment
- Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance or higher
Benefits:
- 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)