Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration – Emerging Domains (R5401)

The Autonomous Pilot Integration team for Emerging Domains builds autonomy solutions for new platforms and mission profiles outside Shield AI's established portfolios-including space (satellites, missile defense), maritime (USV and UUV integration), and contested logistics (unmanned helicopters and related autonomous resupply platforms). The team takes on short-term R&D and integration efforts-often standing up the first autonomy on a brand-new platform or mission-with the intent that successful efforts grow into larger, multi-year programs. We combine capabilities from the Autonomy Capabilities team (motion planning, tactics), the Perception team (e.g., ViDAR, ATR), and the HivemindSDK-selectively leveraging existing Shield AI autonomy solutions where they apply-to develop autonomy that runs on these new platforms. Our engineers write new autonomy code-such as mission behaviors, platform-specific control, multi-agent coordination, contingencies, and executive autonomy-and own it end-to-end from software-in-the-loop, to hardware-in-the-loop, to vehicle-in-the-loop, to live test exercise.

In this role, you'll lead the technical delivery of complex autonomy capabilities across Emerging Domains, helping establish first-of-their-kind autonomy solutions for new platforms and mission areas. You'll own challenging integration efforts, influence technical direction across multiple subsystems, and work closely with platform teams and cross-functional engineering organizations to transition early R&D efforts into scalable, operational capabilities.

What You'll Do:

Stand Up New Programs - Lead technical efforts to establish autonomy on new platforms, determining how best to leverage existing Shield AI capabilities while developing new platform-specific solutions.

Navigate Ambiguity & Shifting Priorities - Operate effectively as programs evolve, adapting technical plans, balancing competing priorities, and maintaining engineering momentum through changing customer and program requirements.

Develop & Field Autonomy - Lead development and integration of autonomy software across emerging-domain platforms, including platform interfaces, payload integration, mission autonomy, and operational deployment.

Technical Leadership - Lead feature crews or major integration efforts, mentor engineers, remove technical obstacles, and drive delivery of complex capabilities.

Platform Team Partnerships - Serve as a primary technical partner to platform engineering teams while coordinating interface evolution, hardware/software compatibility, and mission readiness.

Collaboration Across Teams & Partners - Coordinate closely with Autonomy Capabilities, Perception, GCS, feature crews, customer/program offices, and external partners to deliver integrated autonomy solutions.

Design & Documentation - Lead design reviews, architecture discussions, ICD development, and engineering improvements across multiple efforts.

Pre-deployment Preparation - Drive validation, release readiness, hardware/software integration, and mission preparation for operational deployments.

On-site Test & Mission Support - Provide technical leadership during live testing, demonstrations, and operational events across air, maritime, space, and emerging platforms.

Hardware/Software Debugging - Lead root-cause analysis across complex autonomy stacks, embedded systems, and platform interfaces.

Mission Data & Debrief Support - Drive post-mission analysis and coordinate engineering improvements based on operational results.

Continuous Improvement - Improve engineering processes, testing infrastructure, integration workflows, and deployment efficiency.

C2 Interoperability & Standards - Drive implementation of command-and-control interfaces and interoperability standards appropriate for each platform.

Travel Requirement - Members of this team typically travel around 10-20% of the year to different office locations, customer sites, operator training events, flight tests, and integration exercises.

Required Qualifications:

• BS/MS in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent practical experience. Typically requires 7+ years of relevant experience.

• Expert C++ and Linux development experience.

• Experience leading complex autonomy or systems integration efforts.

• Experience influencing technical direction across engineering teams.

• Experience operating successfully in ambiguous or rapidly evolving technical environments.

• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience standing up autonomy on new platforms.

• Experience with autonomous aircraft, maritime, or space systems.

• Experience mentoring engineers and leading technical initiatives.

• Experience with military test events or customer deployments.

• Experience with UCI, OMS, STANAG 4586, or comparable interoperability standards.