2 months ago
Base Salary
$196k - $294k/yr
Responsibilities
- Design tactical autonomy algorithms for unmanned aircraft operating across air, land, and sea domains.
- Develop high-performance software for planning, decision-making, and behavior execution.
- Implement and test behavior architectures supporting multi-agent coordination, target engagement, reconnaissance, and survivability.
- Blend rule-based autonomy with learning-based methods such as reinforcement learning.
- Collaborate with perception, planning, simulation, hardware, and flight-test teams.
- Deploy autonomy capabilities to real platforms and participate in field tests and flight demonstrations.
- Analyze mission logs and performance data to diagnose failures and optimize behavior models.
- Research and prototype algorithms, identify tactical capability gaps, and contribute to the autonomy roadmap.
- Adapt autonomy solutions to defense programs, customer needs, compliance requirements, and operational feedback.
- Travel approximately 10–15% of the year for office locations, customer sites, and flight integration events.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a similar field, or equivalent practical experience.
- At least 5 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree, 4 years with a master’s degree, 2 years with a PhD, or equivalent work experience.
- Proficiency in C++ and Python and familiarity with real-time operating systems.
- Significant experience in robotics areas such as control systems, motion planning, optimization, tactical behaviors, or distributed decision-making.
- Significant experience with unmanned systems and related algorithms, ideally in the space domain.
- Experience with simulation tools and environments such as AFSIM or NGTS.
- Ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance in complex environments.
- Strong communication and teamwork skills in multidisciplinary settings.
- Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance or higher.
- Preferred qualifications include experience across multiple aerospace domains and methodologies from classical control through optimization and applied machine learning or reinforcement learning.
- Preferred qualifications include collaborative behaviors, swarm robotics, DoD or government programs, integration events, customer demonstrations, and live exercises.
Benefits
- Full-time employees receive pay within the listed range plus bonus, benefits, and equity.
- Temporary employees receive pay within the listed range plus a temporary benefits package applicable after 60 days of employment.
- The role is full-time and typically involves 10–15% travel.
- Offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.
About Shield AI
Shield AI builds autonomous systems for military and national security customers, combining its Hivemind autonomy software with V-BAT and X-BAT unmanned aircraft and Aechelon simulation technologies. The privately held company sells hardware, software, and related services to U.S. and allied defense agencies. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Diego, it operates across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, and its technology is used in operational deployments.