Shield AI
Senior Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration (R5423)
$196K–$294K
San Mateo, California · On-site · Senior · Full-time · Posted Aug 19, 2026
- Experience
- Typically at least 2 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; alternatively, completion of a Master’s or PhD program with internship or equivalent practical experience preferred; or equivalent professional experience.
- Education
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience
About the job
Integrates and deploys autonomy software on unmanned aircraft, prepares systems for flight, and supports testing, troubleshooting, and validation in lab and field environments.
What you'll do
- Integrate autonomy software with aircraft compute, sensors, and control interfaces; configure and validate flight-ready systems.
- Support live flight tests, including safety checks, system bring-up, troubleshooting, and mission data collection and analysis.
- Collaborate across engineering and test teams; improve integration processes and support certification and compliance documentation.
What they ask for
- Degree in a listed engineering or computer science field, or equivalent practical experience.
- Programming proficiency in C++ and Python; familiarity with RTOS.
- Linux-based development experience, including embedded systems, shell scripting, and diagnostics.
- Hands-on support of flight demos or live exercises; ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.
Nice to have
- Direct experience with unmanned aerial systems or flight test campaigns.
- Familiarity with autonomy stacks, flight control systems, or GNC pipelines.
Pay
USD 195,840–293,760 per year (base salary)
Tools
C++, Python, RTOS, Linux, ROS, DDS, AFSIM, NGTS
AI focus
Deploys autonomy software on unmanned aircraft and supports analysis to refine autonomous behaviors.
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