Shield AI
Manager of Engineering - Autonomous Pilot Integration (R5153)
$220K–$330K
Washington, D.C. +1 · On-site · Manager · Full-time · Posted Jun 11, 2026
- Location
- Washington, D.C.
San Diego, California - Experience
- Typically a minimum of 7 years with a Bachelor's degree; 5 years with a Master's; 4 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience. Requires 2+ years of direct people-management experience.
- Education
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience.
About the job
Leads an engineering team developing, integrating, validating, and fielding autonomy software for launched-effects platforms and multi-agent fleets.
What you'll do
- Manage, hire, mentor, and support the performance and growth of a small-to-mid-sized engineering team.
- Lead autonomy software development, platform integration, testing, deployment, and live mission support.
- Set technical direction and coordinate interface contracts and delivery with internal teams, vendors, and defense partners.
What they ask for
- BS/MS in a related engineering or computer science field, or equivalent practical experience.
- Typically 7 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; 5 years with a Master's; 4 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience.
- At least 2 years of direct people-management experience, including 1:1s, performance reviews, hiring decisions, and growth planning.
- Strong C++ proficiency; experience with real-time or latency-sensitive systems; ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.
Nice to have
- Direct experience with PX4 and/or ArduPilot at the platform integration level.
- Proficiency in Python for scripting, automation, and analysis.
Pay
USD 220,000–330,000 (per-year-salary); base salary
Tools
C++, Linux, PX4, ArduPilot, DDS, Python, QGroundControl (QGC), Qt
AI focus
Develops and integrates autonomy software for unmanned launched-effects platforms, including mission behaviors, multi-agent coordination, and fleet deployment.
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative