Shield AI
Staff Engineer, Software - Autonomous Aircraft Integration (R4983)
Washington, D.C. · Staff · Full-time · Posted Sep 17, 2026
- Experience
- Typically 7 years with a Bachelor’s degree, 5 years with a Master’s degree, or 4 years with a PhD; equivalent work experience is also stated.
- 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 flight testing, troubleshooting, and validation.
What you'll do
- Integrate autonomy software with aircraft compute, sensors, and control interfaces; build and validate flight-ready systems.
- Support on-site flight operations, troubleshooting, and flight-data collection and analysis.
- Collaborate across engineering and test teams; improve deployment processes and support certification and compliance.
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 development, embedded systems, shell scripting, and diagnostics.
- Experience supporting flight demos or live exercises; knowledge of sensor integration, sensor fusion, and middleware such as ROS or DDS.
- 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.
- Experience with UCI and OMS Standards.
Tools
C++, Python, RTOS, Linux, ROS, DDS, AFSIM, NGTS
AI focus
Deploys and tests autonomy software for unmanned aircraft.
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative