Senior Staff Engineer – Autonomous Aircraft Integration

About the role

Shield AI is seeking a senior software engineer to lead the integration of autonomous flight capabilities onto unmanned aircraft. The role blends hardware, software and systems engineering to deliver flight‑ready autonomy solutions in fast‑paced test environments.

Key responsibilities

• Integrate autonomy software with onboard compute, sensors and control interfaces on unmanned aircraft.
• Own build, configuration and validation of flight‑ready systems, ensuring hardware/software compatibility.
• Provide on‑site flight test support, including safety checks, system bring‑up and troubleshooting under time‑critical constraints.
• Diagnose and resolve integration issues across complex software stacks and embedded systems in lab and field.
• Capture flight data, perform post‑test analysis and collaborate with autonomy engineers to refine system behavior.

Required profile

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering or equivalent.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience (or equivalent with advanced degree).
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.
• Willingness to travel 30‑40 % of the year for test sites and customer locations.

Required skills

• Proficiency in C++ and Python.
• Experience with real‑time operating systems (RTOS) and Linux‑based development.
• Embedded systems development, shell scripting and system diagnostics.
• Sensor integration, sensor fusion and middleware frameworks such as ROS or DDS.
• Use of simulation tools (e.g., AFSIM, NGTS) for testing and validation.