Software Engineer II, Autonomy Behaviors (R5202)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai . Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn , X , Instagram , and YouTube .

The Autonomy Capabilities Team develops functionality to automate single- and multi-agent teams of platforms in pursuit of mission objectives and acts as a central discipline-aligned focal-point for encouraging consistent usage of technical approaches across business portfolios. This team operates at all levels of the command-and-control hierarchy (from advanced control laws, through motion planning, and up to advanced tactical behaviors and multi-agent coordination) and across a multitude of mission sets, platform types, and operational domains (e.g., air, sea, space). The team puts a strong emphasis on both fundamentals (e.g., aircraft kinematics/dynamics, trajectory design, optimization, information fusion, efficient algorithms, etc.) and software integration skillsets (e.g. structures, protocols, threading, interface management, etc.) to bring market-differentiating capabilities to customers that seamlessly operate within their integration contexts.

This position is perfect for an individual who enjoys solving complex problems across a diverse set of programs and integration contexts. An ideal candidate is expected to address operational system needs through a multitude of advanced methodologies that blend traditional control system approaches with advanced optimization. Developed solutions are expected to be integrated into real-world platforms with near-term program impacts and rewards and so balancing theory with practice and rigorous implementation is paramount.

What You'll Do:

• Implement tactical autonomy software features that enable unmanned platforms to perform complex missions across air, land, sea, and space domains
  
• Develop and test behaviors supporting coordination, target engagement, reconnaissance, and survivability in contested scenarios
• Participate in the software development lifecycle, including implementation, testing, debugging, and supporting verification and validation efforts
• Collaborate with senior engineers to integrate software components with broader system elements (e.g., sensor processing, communications, and actuation)
• Write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code following established engineering standards and team practices
• Support integration and testing across simulation and real-world environments
• Work with cross-functional teams to understand requirements and support successful feature delivery
• Continue building expertise in software engineering, autonomy, and robotics systems
• Travel up to 20% to support testing, integration, and collaboration with partner teams

Required Qualifications:

• BS in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Experience in production-level C++ software development
• 2-3 years of 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
• Experience with collaborative software development tools for version control, issue tracking, code reviews, release management
• Ability to contribute to the design, development, and integration of complex software systems as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to learn new technologies in a fast-paced environment
• Willingness to collaborate closely with teammates and support team objectives
• Interest in growing technical skills and, over time, providing guidance to more junior engineers
• Desire to work in a highly collaborative, fast paced, and mission-driven environment
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Exposure to systems operating at different technology readiness levels (TRLs) through academic, research, or internship experience
• Experience in the delivery of a military mission system
• Familiarity with mission systems integration concepts, testing, or demonstrations
• Experience (academic or project-based) in one or more of the following areas:
• Motion planning, behavior planning, or multi-agent coordination
• Expose to autonomy, control, or decision-making systems
• Safety mechanisms such as collision avoidance or constraint enforcement
• Familiarity with robotic software tools (e.g., ROS, OMPL, or similar frameworks)
• Experience using simulation environments for development or testing
• Basic understanding of navigation and/or communications systems
• Awareness of the software or systems development lifecycle
• Familiarity with systems engineering fundamentals
• Exposure to high-assurance or safety-critical software concepts (e.g., DO-178C or similar)

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