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Shield AI · 4 hours ago

Senior Staff Engineer, Autonomy - Tactical Behaviors (R4073)

SD Metro Area

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$221K/yr - $331K/yr

9+ years exp

Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company focused on protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. The Senior Staff Engineer will design tactical autonomy algorithms for unmanned aircraft, develop high-performance software, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate autonomy solutions in real-world platforms.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Autonomous VehiclesDronesMachine LearningNational Security

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Tactical Autonomy Design – Design tactical autonomy algorithms to enable unmanned aircraft to perform complex missions across air, land, and sea domains with minimal human supervision

High-Performance Software Development – Develop high-performance software modules that incorporate planning, decision-making, and behavior execution strategies for dynamic and adversarial environments

Behavior Architecture Implementation – Implement and test behavior architectures that enable multi-agent coordination, target engagement, reconnaissance, and survivability in contested scenarios

Hybrid Autonomy Integration – Work at the intersection of classical autonomy and machine learning, blending rule-based systems with learning-based methods such as reinforcement learning to achieve robust, adaptive behavior

Cross-Functional Collaboration – Collaborate with cross-functional teams including perception, planning, simulation, hardware, and flight test to ensure seamless integration of autonomy solutions on real-world platforms

Deployment & Field Testing – Deploy autonomy capabilities to real platforms and participate in field tests and flight demos, validating performance in operationally relevant conditions

Mission Data Analysis – Analyze mission logs and performance data to diagnose failures, optimize behavior models, and inform iterative development

R&D and Roadmapping – Contribute to the autonomy roadmap by researching and prototyping new algorithms, identifying tactical capability gaps, and proposing novel solutions that advance Shield AI’s mission

Program Support & Adaptation – Support defense-focused programs and customer needs by adapting autonomy solutions to evolving mission sets, compliance requirements, and operational feedback

Travel Requirement – Members of this team typically travel around 10-15% of the year (to different office locations, customer sites, and flight integration events)

Qualification

C++PythonRobotics technologiesUnmanned system technologiesSimulation toolsMachine LearningReinforcement LearningProblem-solvingCommunication skillsTeamwork skills

Required

BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience

Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 9 years and a Master's degree; or 7 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience

Proficiency in programming languages such as C++ and Python, and familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS)

Significant background in robotics technologies related to motion planning, behavior modeling, decision-making, or autonomous system design

Significant experience with unmanned system technologies and accompanying algorithms (specifically air domain)

Experience with simulation tools and environments (e.g., AFSIM, NGTS) for testing and validation

Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance

Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment

Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance