Senior Engineer, HMS Simulation Framework (R6058)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems.

As a Simulation Framework Engineer on the Simulation Framework Team, you will write the C++ and Python code, design adapters, and build custom plugins for our modeling and simulation (M&S) environments and core autonomy software.

Your work is hands-on and technical, creating reusable, robust software patterns that abstract simulation details away from the core autonomy stack.

Responsibilities

• Write, compile, and maintain baseline software adapters, plugins, and interfaces in C++ and Python for AFSIM, NGTS, Aechelon, HMSSimBlocks, and HMSF.
• Execute the hands-on technical migration from HMSSimBlocks to HMSF, porting custom HMS simulation features to HMSF while maintaining active support for legacy HMSSimBlocks users.
• Design, implement, and maintain a reusable CIGI plugin layer across our simulation frameworks to enable seamless visual communication with Aechelon image generators.
• Ensure simulation frameworks and baseline plugins are designed for extensibility, writing clear templates and code architectures that allow other portfolios to plug in custom sensors or models.
• Maintain functional parity across simulation plugins with respect to CSF (Common Scenario Format) file loading, DDS communication capabilities, GRID interface standards, and Hivemind SDK updates.
• Support integration teams in debugging complex simulation-autonomy issues by analyzing framework behavior, network data, DDS traffic, and API call-stacks.
• Write robust unit tests, automated integration tests, and clear code documentation to ensure simulation stability.

Required qualifications

• Typically requires a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong software development background in C++ and Python within a Linux environment.
• Solid software engineering fundamentals, including version control (Git), automated testing, and disciplined debugging.
• Experience writing or maintaining plugins, baseline interfaces, or modeling frameworks for simulation environments such as AFSIM, NGTS, or similar.
• Familiarity with network protocols (UDP/TCP), DDS middleware, serialization, or interface standards (such as CIGI).
• Excellent technical troubleshooting skills and a desire to help other developers resolve integration bugs.
• Ability to obtain and maintain an active U.S. SECRET security clearance (U.S. citizenship required).