Senior Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration (R5193)
Shield AIWashington, DC · full time · Staff
$233,760 – $350,640
Listed on Shield AI’s own careers site. You apply with them directly — we never stand between you and the employer.
What this role is
Shield AI is hiring a staff-level engineer to lead autonomy software development across multiple unmanned platform programs—aircraft, maritime, space—writing code for mission behaviors, coordination, and control, then validating it through simulation to live flight testing. This role suits experienced engineers who want technical leadership on hard problems, mentoring responsibility, and the satisfaction of seeing their code operate in deployed systems.
Our summary, not Shield AI’s wording. The full posting is on their site.
Skills this role names
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What they ask for
Required
- Extensive experience writing autonomy or control software
- Proven ability to own software end-to-end from simulation to fielded systems
- Experience integrating with real vehicles or hardware platforms
- Demonstrated technical leadership across multiple programs
- Subject matter expertise in autonomous systems
Nice to have
- Experience with unmanned aerial vehicles or maritime platforms
- Background in defense or government contracting
- Familiarity with C2 systems or autopilot integrations
- Experience mentoring senior engineers
- Knowledge of standards bodies or process rigor in safety-critical systems