Staff Software Engineer (Autonomy Behaviors)

Join Shield AI, a leading company in mission autonomy software. As a Staff Software Engineer on the Autonomy Behaviors team, you will lead the development of autonomous behaviors for various platforms, including the Anduril Fury and Northrup Grumman Talon. You will work closely with specialist teams in software integration, hardware, and test engineering to solve complex problems. This role requires a strong background in software development, systems engineering, and experience in multiple application areas.

Lead the delivery of autonomous behaviors into products, acting as a technical lead and hands-on contributor.

Responsibilities

• Develop tactical autonomy software to enable unmanned platforms to perform complex missions with minimal human supervision.
• Collaborate with external teams, aligning on interfacing requirements between diverse systems, and act as a subject matter expert for software engineering.

Collision avoidance, geofencing, and safety-monitoring

• Motion planning across a variety of vehicle classes, kinematic constraints, and team compositions
• Experience across a breadth of technology readiness levels (TRLs) and demonstration of bridging concepts from research-grade to operationally ready
• Capacity to act as the technical owner for an entire software system, including stakeholder engagement, requirements definition, roadmap management, team co-ordination, design, implementation, sustainment, and evolution
• Experience with simulation tools and environments (e.g., AFSIM, NGTS) for testing and validation
• Experience with mission systems integration, and ideally, hands-on experience supporting integration events and/or flight demonstrations
• Weapons target assignment, Sensor target pairing, sensor-centric control laws

Requirements

• Proficient in production-level C++ software development

Automated red force vs blue force tactics

• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams, set technical direction, and manage full project lifecycles from concept to deployment
• Desire to work in a highly collaborative, fast paced, enthusiastic, and mission-centric environment
• 7+ years' experience in one or more of the following: software sub-system scheduling and integration, behavior planning, task and resource allocation, motion planning, optimization, or flight controls
• Familiarity with practical aspects of navigation and communications systems
• Capacity to learn and grow individually, while mentoring junior team members effectively, building team cohesion and capacity

Familiarity with systems engineering methodologies

• Experience across a multitude of application areas, including but not limited to:
• Collaborative mission planning, behavior planning, synchronized teaming
• BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Experience in more than one operational effect (e.g., strike, air combat, surveillance, reconnaissance, etc.) and more than one associated domain (e.g., air, space, maritime, ground, etc.)
• Experience with collaborative software development tools for version control, issue tracking, code reviews, and release management
• Familiarity with high-assurance software development processes (e.g., DO-178C or equivalent MIL-STD's)
• Experience across the product delivery lifecycle, from emerging opportunity through system acceptance, deployment, and sustainment

Preferred

• Experience with FOSS software that is commonly used in robotic systems (e.g., ROS, OMPL, optimization solvers, etc.)

Pay

USD 187,531 - 281,297