# Senior Engineer, Software - Perception

**Company**: Shield AI
**Location**: San Diego, California / Washington, DC / Boston, MA
**Work arrangement**: onsite
**Experience**: senior
**Job type**: full-time
**Salary**: $160,000 - $240,000 a year
**Category**: Engineering
**Industry**: Technology

**Apply**: https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai/d6f1d906-5c1e-4640-87f3-3e31e1b45fa6
**Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/jobs/job_841c78ea-841

## Description

This position is ideal for an individual who thrives on building advanced perception systems that enable autonomous aircraft to operate effectively in complex and contested environments.

A successful candidate will be skilled in developing real-time object detection, sensor fusion, and state estimation algorithms using data from diverse mission sensors such as EO/IR cameras, radars, and IMUs.
The role requires strong algorithmic thinking, deep familiarity with airborne sensing systems, and the ability to deliver performant software in simulation and real-world conditions.

Develop advanced perception algorithms , Design and implement robust algorithms for object detection, classification, and multi-target tracking across diverse sensor modalities.
Implement sensor fusion frameworks , Integrate data from vision systems, radars, and other mission sensors using probabilistic and deterministic fusion techniques to generate accurate situational awareness.
Develop state estimation capabilities , Design and refine algorithms for localization and pose estimation using IMU, GPS, vision, and other onboard sensing inputs to enable stable and accurate navigation.
Analyze and utilize sensor ICDs , Interpret interface control documents (ICDs) and technical specifications for aircraft-mounted sensors to ensure correct data handling, interpretation, and synchronization.
Optimize perception performance , Tune and evaluate perception pipelines for performance, robustness, and real-time efficiency in both simulation and real-world environments.
Support autonomy integration , Work closely with autonomy, systems, and integration teams to interface perception outputs with planning, behaviors, and decision-making modules.
Validate in simulated and operational settings , Leverage synthetic data, simulation environments, and field testing to validate algorithm accuracy and mission readiness.
Collaborate with hardware and sensor teams , Ensure seamless integration of perception algorithms with onboard compute platforms and diverse sensor payloads.
Drive innovation in airborne sensing , Contribute novel ideas and state-of-the-art techniques to advance real-time perception capabilities for unmanned aircraft operating in complex, GPS-denied, or contested environments.

## Skills

### Required
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience
- Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 4 years and a Master’s degree; or 2 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience
- Background in implementing algorithms such as Kalman Filters, multi-target tracking, or deep learning-based detection models
- Familiarity with fusing data from radar, EO/IR cameras, or other sensors using probabilistic or rule-based approaches
- Familiarity with SLAM, visual-inertial odometry, or sensor-fused localization approaches in real-time applications
- Ability to interpret and work with Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and hardware integration specs
- Proficiency with version control, debugging, and test-driven development in cross-functional teams
- Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance

### Nice to have
- Hands-on integration or algorithm development with airborne sensing systems
- Experience with ML frameworks such as PyTorch or Tensorflow, particularly for vision-based object detection or classification tasks
- Experience deploying perception software on SWaP-constrained platforms
- Familiarity with validating perception systems during flight test events or operational environments
- Understanding of sensing challenges in denied or degraded conditions
- Exposure to perception applications across air, maritime, and ground platforms