# Chief Engineer, Weapons

**Company:** [Shield AI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/shield-ai)
**Location:** London, United Kingdom
**Role:** Engineering Management
**Experience:** 10+ years
**Skills:** Autonomy, Robotics, Guidance Navigation And Control, Controls, State Estimation, Motion Planning, Perception, Software Development, Software Deployment, Systems Architecture, Technical Requirements, Interface Control Documents, Scientific Problem Solving, Security Clearance, Team Leadership
**Posted:** 2026-08-25

> Leads system architecture, technical decisions, and engineering delivery for autonomous capabilities deployed on unmanned weapon systems. Requires substantial autonomy or defense experience, reliable production software delivery, robotics and GNC knowledge, and leadership of multidisciplinary engineering teams.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Serve as Chief Engineer on projects developing and deploying autonomy solutions for unmanned weapon systems.
- Lead engineers advancing Hivemind Autonomy and defense autonomy architectures.
- Define and assign technical objectives, make engineering decisions, and ensure the quality and completeness of technical deliverables.
- Provide technical leadership and oversight for Internal Research and Development (IRAD) initiatives and defense contracts.
- Define technical scope and manage technical requirements, product architectures, interface control documents (ICDs), and system-level design documentation.
- Support customer-facing engineering leadership for defense and internally funded development programs.
- Contribute to government contract proposal writing.

## Requirements
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a similar discipline.
- 10+ years of industry experience in autonomy and/or unmanned weapon systems, such as defense technology or self-driving cars.
- 7+ years delivering software into production or certifiable environments with high reliability.
- Understanding of guidance, navigation, and control (GNC), including controls, estimation, and planning.
- Understanding of the robotics stack, including controls, estimation, perception, and planning.
- Understanding of software development processes and effective software deployment.
- Demonstrated problem-solving skills using a scientific and technical approach.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent leadership skills and experience leading teams of 6–20 engineers.

## Nice-to-haves
- UK security clearance.

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