Software Test & Automation Manager

About the role

Shield AI, a venture-backed defense-tech company, is hiring a Software Test & Automation Manager in San Diego. The manager leads a multidisciplinary engineering team that defines verification strategies, builds automated validation capabilities and sets software readiness standards across autonomy programs such as XBAT, VBAT, Weapons, Space, Maritime and others. The role partners with software engineering, systems engineering, platform integration, digital infrastructure and flight test teams.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and grow a team of Software Test & Automation Engineers supporting Expeditionary and Emerging Operations.
• Define verification and validation strategies across simulation, SIL, HIL, VIL and operational test environments.
• Drive automated regression testing, validation frameworks and test infrastructure that improve software quality and engineering velocity.
• Set software readiness criteria, quality gates and performance metrics to assess autonomy maturity.
• Integrate automated validation into CI/CD pipelines with Digital Infrastructure and expand continuous testing.
• Build common automation frameworks, reusable test assets and validation methodologies across programs.
• Coordinate software readiness with software, systems, platform integration and flight test teams.
• Develop technical roadmaps, staffing plans and engineering priorities.
• Mentor engineers, run performance reviews, recruit talent and present readiness assessments and risks to program leadership and executives.

Required profile

• Technical leader who enjoys building high-performing engineering teams and improving software quality through modern verification and continuous validation practices.
• Preferred: experience supporting autonomous systems, robotics or unmanned platforms.
• Preferred: experience supporting DoD programs and customer demonstrations.

Required skills

• Preferred: software quality tools such as SonarQube.
• Preferred: ROS.
• Preferred: software readiness metrics, dashboards and executive reporting.