# Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration

**Company:** [Shield AI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/shield-ai)
**Location:** San Mateo, CA
**Role:** Fullstack Engineering
**Salary:** $234k – $351k/yr
**Experience:** 7+ years
**Skills:** C++, Linux, Embedded Systems, Shell Scripting, Dds, Ipc, Python, Docker, Kubernetes, Px4, Ardupilot, Cmake, Conan, CI/CD, Simulation
**Posted:** 2026-09-01

> Leads development, integration, validation, and field deployment of autonomy software for unmanned platforms. Requires senior-level C++ and Linux experience, embedded and real-time systems expertise, technical leadership, and mission-test support.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Develop, integrate, validate, and field autonomy software for unmanned air, maritime, space, ground, or effects/expendable platforms.
- Develop mission behaviors, platform-specific control, multi-agent coordination, contingencies, and executive autonomy.
- Lead a small feature crew or sub-program through design, development, integration, and delivery.
- Bring up payload computers; deploy containerized systems; configure onboard compute, sensors, and command-and-control interfaces.
- Own software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, vehicle-in-the-loop, and live test validation.
- Collaborate with autonomy, perception, feature, platform integration, autopilot, C2, and government stakeholders.
- Author and negotiate interface control documents and interface contracts.
- Mentor and onboard engineers; participate in hiring and technical growth planning.
- Drive design reviews, documentation, post-mortems, process improvements, and standards compliance.
- Prepare mission-ready systems, coordinate hardware/software compatibility, and support release cadence.
- Travel to test sites and support flight tests, range exercises, on-water trials, integration events, and live mission operations.
- Diagnose and resolve issues across autonomy stacks, payload computers, and embedded systems; perform memory, CPU, and timing profiling.
- Capture mission data, reproduce issues in simulation, and drive fixes into subsequent builds.
- Develop tools and processes for integration, testing, logging, data parsing, reliability, and team efficiency.

## Requirements
- Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- Typically 7 years of related experience with a bachelor's degree, 5 years with a master's degree, 4 years with a PhD, or equivalent experience.
- Proficiency in C++ and experience developing or integrating real-time or latency-sensitive systems.
- Proficiency in Linux-based development, embedded systems, shell scripting, and system diagnostics.
- Familiarity with middleware, publish-subscribe, or IPC frameworks used in autonomy or robotics, such as DDS and message buses.
- Hands-on experience supporting demonstrations, exercises, or field and mission tests for unmanned or autonomous systems.
- Experience with autonomy simulation environments for testing and validation.
- Experience leading a small technical team or owning a major capability from design through field delivery.
- Experience mentoring engineers and developing technical talent.
- Experience authoring or negotiating interface contracts or ICDs.
- Strong full-stack troubleshooting, optimization, communication, and collaboration skills.
- Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

## Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with unmanned systems or comparable field-test campaigns.
- Proficiency in Python for scripting, automation, and analysis.
- Experience leading a feature crew, sub-program, or small team in an unmanned-systems context.
- Customer- or partner-facing technical relationship experience.
- Experience with cross-team process, documentation, rigor, or developer-experience improvements.
- Familiarity with autonomy stacks, motion planning, and vehicle-control integration.
- Experience with avionics, spacecraft buses, vessel control, payload computer integration, or hardware-in-the-loop debugging.
- Experience with container orchestration on embedded or payload compute, including k3s, k3d, or Docker.
- Familiarity with PX4, ArduPilot, spacecraft flight software, or vessel autopilots.
- Build-system experience with Conan or CMake and familiarity with CI/CD pipelines.
- Experience developing automation tools for system testing, logging, and data parsing.
- Experience with C2 standards such as A-GRA, UCI, or OMS.
- Familiarity with government-furnished simulation environments such as AFSIM or NGTS.
- Comfort interfacing with Department of Defense stakeholders during field events or technical reviews.

## Compensation
- Annual salary range: $234,240–$351,360.

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