Senior Staff Engineer, Systems Test (R5430)

Dallas, TexasV-BAT Division – V-BAT Engineering - Software /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. Job Description:As a Software Systems Test Engineer, you will be pivotal in driving integration testing of our full aircraft software system, integrating our autonomy, flight controller, and GCS software to qualify an intelligent, robust aircraft system. This role demands an engineer capable of overseeing system-level verification and validation, designing complex test scenarios, and ensuring that subsystem testing meets rigorous standards before proceeding to full system integration. You will marshal our aircraft software through full system verification & validation. Your work will directly impact the reliability and performance of our aircraft, preparing them for operational excellence in the field. What you'll do:Generate detailed mission test scenarios that mimic real-world conditions to validate the performance of autonomy and flight control software.Participate in design reviews for new features and design detailed test plans based on their requirementsConduct and manage system verification and validation events, culminating in verified flight readiness.Write test analyzers in Python to report and benchmark performance and qualification metrics of the systemProduce test coverage and release-readiness reports by aggregating test cases, results, and quality requirementsRecommend improvements to our simulation models and fault injection so that we can keep pushing the capabilities of our test suite before proceeding to flightRequired qualifications:10+ years of work experience in testing complex integrated software systemsDemonstrated expertise & experience in test automation, minimally writing software to automate testing, preferably leveraging simulation for automated integration testingStrong experience with the software product development lifecycle, ideally for autonomy or vehicle systemsGreat understanding of system architecture, requirement derivation, and test planning across the V-modelExperience with automating test cases in an existing test frameworkExperience producing high-quality technical documentation, including test plans, quality-assurance reports, and operational proceduresProven track record of successfully shipping products, showcasing the ability to navigate through development cycles, overcome obstacles, and deliver high-quality solutions to meet project deadlines and exceed expectations in a fast-paced environmentB.S., M.S, or PhD degree in Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science or a related fieldPreferred qualifications:Experience with autonomous or robotic systemsExperience with simulation software and hardware emulationBackground in a fast-paced, R&D or startup environmentProficiency in build test automationProficiency in Python or C++$180,000 - $270,000 a year#LI-SM1#LEFull-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.