Staff Software Engineer (Autonomy Behaviors)

Join Shield AI, a leading company in mission autonomy software. As a Staff Software Engineer on the Autonomy Behaviors team, you will lead the development of autonomous behaviors for various platforms, including the Anduril Fury and Northrup Grumman Talon. You will work closely with specialist teams in software integration, hardware, and test engineering to solve complex problems. This role requires a strong background in software development, systems engineering, and experience with autonomous systems.

• Lead the delivery of autonomous behaviors into products, acting as a technical lead and hands-on contributor.
• Develop tactical autonomy software to enable unmanned platforms to perform complex missions with minimal human supervision.
• Collaborate with external teams, aligning on interfacing requirements between diverse systems, and act as a subject matter expert for software engineering.
• Motion planning across a variety of vehicle classes, kinematic constraints, and team compositions
• Capacity to act as the technical owner for an entire software system, including stakeholder engagement, requirements definition, roadmap management, team co-ordination, design, implementation, sustainment, and evolution
• Weapons target assignment, Sensor target pairing, sensor-centric control laws
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
• Experience across a multitude of application areas, including but not limited to:
• Familiarity with systems engineering methodologies
• Experience with FOSS software that is commonly used in robotic systems (e.g., ROS, OMPL, optimization solvers, etc.)
• Experience across a breadth of technology readiness levels (TRLs) and demonstration of bridging concepts from research-grade to operationally ready
• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams, set technical direction, and manage full project lifecycles from concept to deployment
• Experience with collaborative software development tools for version control, issue tracking, code reviews, and release management
• Desire to work in a highly collaborative, fast paced, enthusiastic, and mission-centric environment
• Experience with simulation tools and environments (e.g., AFSIM, NGTS) for testing and validation
• Experience in more than one operational effect (e.g., strike, air combat, surveillance, reconnaissance, etc.) and more than one associated domain (e.g., air, space, maritime, ground, etc.)
• BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Familiarity with practical aspects of navigation and communications systems
• Automated red force vs blue force tactics
• Collision avoidance, geofencing, and safety-monitoring
• Collaborative mission planning, behavior planning, synchronized teaming
• Capacity to learn and grow individually, while mentoring junior team members effectively, building team cohesion and capacity
• Experience with mission systems integration, and ideally, hands-on experience supporting integration events and/or flight demonstrations
• 7+ years' 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
• Proficient in production-level C++ software development
• Familiarity with high-assurance software development processes (e.g., DO-178C or equivalent MIL-STD's)
• Experience across the product delivery lifecycle, from emerging opportunity through system acceptance, deployment, and sustainment