Shield AI
Senior Staff Engineer, Autonomy Capabilities – Maritime (R5363)
$221K–$331K
Washington, D.C. +3 · On-site · Senior Staff · Full-time · Posted Aug 26, 2026
- Location
- Washington, D.C.
Boston, Massachusetts
San Diego, California
Dallas, Texas - Experience
- Typically a minimum of 10 years with a Bachelor’s degree; 9 years with a Master’s degree; 7 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
Leads the technical direction and development of maritime autonomy capabilities for unmanned surface and underwater vehicles and cooperating UAVs, from algorithm design through platform integration and testing.
What you'll do
- Develop motion planning, localization, tracking, safety, and multi-agent collaboration capabilities for maritime missions.
- Lead autonomy architecture and technical direction across programs; mentor engineers and translate customer needs into design approaches.
- Build and integrate tested software, support deployment and demonstrations, and contribute to R&D and autonomy roadmaps.
What they ask for
- BS/MS in a listed engineering or computer science field, or equivalent practical experience.
- Typically 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; 9 years with a Master’s degree; 7 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience.
- Proficiency in C++ and Python, familiarity with RTOS, and significant background in robotics and autonomous systems.
- Experience with unmanned system technologies and simulation tools such as AFSIM or NGTS; ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.
Nice to have
- Experience across multiple aerospace domains, or in collaborative behaviors and swarm robotics.
- Experience with classical control, optimization, applied ML/RL, government programs, or live integration and demonstration events.
Pay
USD 220,800–331,200 per-year-salary (base salary)
Tools
C++, Python, RTOS, AFSIM, NGTS, ML/RL
AI focus
Develops autonomy capabilities using motion planning, localization, tracking, decision-making, and distributed optimization for single- and multi-agent maritime missions; preferred experience includes applied ML/RL.
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