Senior Software Engineer, Autonomy Behaviors (R4588)

Boston, MA / Washington, DC / San Diego, CaliforniaHivemind Solutions Division – Flight System Integration /Full Time Employee /On-siteShield 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 . Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. About The TeamThe Autonomy Capabilities team at Shield AI has assembled a diverse team of experts in software, robotics, control systems, optimization, and data analysis to create software solutions that greatly evolve the capabilities of our customers. The team is responsible for developing autonomous behaviors within Shield AI’s industry-leading mission autonomy software stack and deploying them across a breadth of platforms, including the Anduril Fury, Northrup Grumman Talon, Shield AI V-Bat, and other first and third-party autonomous vehicles. We work in close coordination with specialist teams in software integration, hardware, and test engineering to solve some of the hardest problems facing our customers.About the Job:As a Senior Software Engineer, you’ll build and own autonomy behaviors that directly power our products, taking responsibility for key components from design through deployment. You’ll work across teams to turn complex mission needs into reliable, scalable software, balancing near-term delivery with long-term maintainability and performance. In this role, you’ll play a critical part in shaping how autonomy capabilities are designed, integrated, and evolved across our platforms.What You'll Do: Develop tactical autonomy software to enable unmanned platforms to perform complex missions across air, land, sea, and space domains with limited human supervisionImplement and test behaviors supporting multi-agent coordination, target engagement, reconnaissance, and survivability in contested scenariosContribute across the software development lifecycle, including requirements, design, implementation, verification, and validation, following established engineering best practicesCollaborate with senior engineers to design and build scalable, maintainable software components that integrate with broader system architecture (e.g., sensor processing, state estimation, communications, and actuation)Support reuse and extensibility of autonomy behaviors by contributing to shared frameworks and codebasesWork with internal product and program teams to deliver capabilities to vehicle platforms, helping ensure successful integration and iteration over timeCollaborate with cross-functional and external teams to align on interfaces and system requirementsApply strong software engineering fundamentals to solve complex technical problems, while continuing to grow domain expertise in autonomy and robotics systemsTravel up to 20% to support integration, testing, and collaboration with end-users and partner teamsRequired Qualifications:BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related fieldProficient in production-level C++ software development5+ 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 controlsExperience with collaborative software development tools for version control, issue tracking, code reviews, release managementAbility to contribute to the design, development, and integration of complex software systems as part of a multi-disciplinary teamDemonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to learn new technologies in a fast-paced environmentWillingness to collaborate closely with teammates and support team objectivesInterest in growing technical skills and, over time, providing guidance to more junior engineersDesire to work in a highly collaborative, fast paced, and mission-driven environmentEligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearancePreferred Qualifications:Experience working with systems at one or more technology readiness levels (TRLs), including supporting the maturation of research concepts toward operational useExperience with mission systems integration, including participation in integration events, testing, or demonstrationsExperience in one or more of the following areas:Collaborative mission planning, behavior planning, or coordinated teamingMotion planning across different vehicle types or constraintsSensor/target pairing, control strategies, or related autonomy functionsSafety systems such as collision avoidance or geofencingExperience with robotic software ecosystems (e.g., ROS, OMPL, optimization tools)Experience with simulation tools for testing and validationFamiliarity with navigation and communications systemsExperience contributing to portions of the product development lifecycleFamiliarity with systems engineering principlesFamiliarity with high-assurance software practices (e.g., DO-178C or similar standards)$160,000 - $240,000 a year#LC#LI-ED1Full-time regular employee offer package:Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + EquityTemporary employee offer package:Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.###Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.