Shield AI
Senior Software Engineer, Autonomy Capabilities (R5339)
$196K–$294K
San Mateo, California · On-site · Senior · Full-time · Posted Sep 1, 2026
- Experience
- 5 years with a Bachelor’s degree; or 4 years with a Master’s degree; or 2 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience.
- Education
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience.
About the job
Develop and integrate tactical autonomy software for unmanned platforms, including planning, decision-making, multi-agent behaviors, and field validation.
What you'll do
- Design, implement, and test autonomy algorithms and behavior architectures for complex missions and multi-agent coordination.
- Integrate autonomy software with real-world platforms; collaborate across teams and participate in field tests and flight demonstrations.
- Analyze mission data, troubleshoot performance, and research or prototype capabilities for the autonomy roadmap.
What they ask for
- Degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or similar, or equivalent practical experience.
- Proficiency in C++ and Python, and familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS).
- Significant background in robotics areas such as control systems, motion planning, optimization, tactical behaviors, or distributed decision-making; experience with unmanned systems and simulation tools.
- Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance or higher.
Nice to have
- Experience across multiple aerospace domains, or across classical control, optimization, and applied ML/RL.
- Background in collaborative behaviors or swarm robotics; familiarity with relevant DoD or government programs; or experience supporting integration events, demos, or live exercises.
Pay
USD 195,840–293,760 per year (base salary)
Tools
C++, Python, RTOS, AFSIM, NGTS
AI focus
Blend classical autonomy and machine learning, including reinforcement learning, to develop robust adaptive behavior.
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative