Jobs in Washington, D.C.

Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $163,200 – $244,800

This role involves writing and owning autonomy software for unmanned platforms across air, maritime, space, and other domains, from simulation through live field testing. It suits engineers who want hands-on experience shipping real autonomy code to defense hardware and partnering closely across multiple technical teams.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $210,000 – $310,000

Lead the complete technical strategy and execution of flight testing for autonomous AI systems on military aircraft, from simulation through operationally realistic scenarios. This role owns test planning, risk management, and coordination across government partners and internal teams to mature autonomy capabilities at scale.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $89,000 – $130,000

A software test engineer role focused on validating autonomy systems through simulation and automation testing, ideal for someone who wants to ensure mission-critical defense technology performs reliably in both simulated and real-world environments.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $110,000 – $170,000

This role leads testing and quality assurance for Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software, focusing on simulation-driven validation and test automation to ensure reliability in defense applications. It suits experienced engineers who want to drive testing strategy and infrastructure for safety-critical systems in a fast-growing defense-tech company.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $80,000 – $120,000

This role manages security operations for a defense contractor working on classified projects, requiring someone who can navigate both strict government compliance frameworks and the operational pace of a fast-moving tech company. The person will coordinate across engineering and program teams to protect sensitive information and controlled technologies.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $110,000 – $170,000

A systems engineer working on autonomous software and aircraft systems, translating stakeholder requirements into technical solutions across the Hivemind product line. This role suits someone with strong systems thinking who enjoys cross-functional collaboration on defense technology.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $163,200 – $244,800

Shield AI seeks a senior engineer to develop autonomous control behaviors and multi-agent coordination systems for defense platforms operating across air, sea, and space domains. The role bridges control theory and practical software integration, requiring both advanced algorithmic work and real-world system deployment on active military systems.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $131,921 – $197,881

Shield AI is seeking a Software Engineer II to develop autonomy behaviors and control systems for unmanned platforms across air, sea, and space domains. The role suits someone who enjoys blending control theory with practical software integration to deliver real-world solutions for defense applications.

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Shield AI

Washington, DC · $195,200 – $292,800

Shield AI is hiring a Staff Software Engineer to develop autonomy and behavioral capabilities for autonomous systems across multiple platforms and domains. This role suits someone who can balance advanced control theory and optimization with practical software integration to deliver real-world mission impact.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $220,441 – $330,661

Lead a software engineering team building perception systems that give autonomous aircraft situational awareness in challenging operational environments. This role suits experienced engineers comfortable with real-time object detection, sensor fusion, and algorithm development for defense applications.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $157,000 – $235,800

Shield AI is looking for a software engineer to act as a power user of their Hivemind autonomy platform, identifying integration gaps and validating that the developer experience meets real-world needs for building autonomous systems. This role bridges engineering and customer applications, ensuring the platform supports mission-critical autonomous workflows.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $170,000 – $260,000

A senior engineer role designing and optimizing communication systems for autonomous aircraft, focusing on mission-critical data links, encryption, and secure interoperability across airborne, ground, and satellite platforms operating in contested environments.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $115,000 – $170,000

This role involves designing and integrating autonomous aircraft systems for defense applications, requiring deep expertise in aerospace engineering and complex system integration across multiple technical disciplines. It suits experienced systems engineers who can lead cross-functional teams and navigate the intersection of hardware, autonomy, and military compliance standards.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $160,000 – $240,000

This role integrates autonomy software onto unmanned aircraft platforms, handling the bridge between research and field deployment. You'll troubleshoot complex hardware-software interactions, prepare systems for flight, and solve real-world problems in both lab and operational environments.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $182,720 – $274,080

Shield AI seeks a systems-minded engineer to integrate autonomy software onto unmanned aircraft and prepare them for flight testing. This role suits someone comfortable bridging R&D and field operations, debugging mission-critical systems in fast-moving test environments where both hardware and software must work together reliably.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $220,800 – $331,200

Shield AI seeks a senior engineer to integrate autonomy software onto unmanned aircraft platforms, ensuring systems work reliably in real-world test and operational conditions. This role bridges research and deployment for defense applications, requiring hands-on troubleshooting and systems thinking across hardware and software domains.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $233,760 – $350,640

Shield AI seeks a senior engineer to develop autonomy and control systems for unmanned platforms across air, sea, and space domains. This role suits experienced control systems specialists who can balance theoretical rigor with practical integration, working on mission-critical software that directly impacts real-world operations.

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Shield AI

Full-time · Washington, DC · $240,000 – $360,000

Lead a technical team developing perception algorithms and sensor fusion software for autonomous defense systems. This role suits experienced engineering managers who want to direct cutting-edge AI and robotics work with real-world impact.

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