Shield AI · 3 months ago
Senior Staff Engineer, Autonomy - Tactical Behaviors (R3914)
Washington DC Metro Area
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$221K/yr - $331K/yr
9+ years expShield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company dedicated to protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. The Senior Staff Engineer in Autonomy will design and develop tactical autonomy algorithms for unmanned aircraft, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and contribute to the advancement of autonomy solutions in defense applications.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)Autonomous VehiclesDronesMachine LearningNational Security
No H1B
Security Clearance RequiredU.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Design tactical autonomy algorithms to enable unmanned aircraft to perform complex missions across air, land, and sea domains with minimal human supervision
Develop high-performance software modules that incorporate planning, decision-making, and behavior execution strategies for dynamic and adversarial environments
Implement and test behavior architectures that enable multi-agent coordination, target engagement, reconnaissance, and survivability in contested scenarios
Work at the intersection of classical autonomy and machine learning, blending rule-based systems with learning-based methods such as reinforcement learning to achieve robust, adaptive behavior
Collaborate with cross-functional teams including perception, planning, simulation, hardware, and flight test to ensure seamless integration of autonomy solutions on real-world platforms
Deploy autonomy capabilities to real platforms and participate in field tests and flight demos, validating performance in operationally relevant conditions
Analyze mission logs and performance data to diagnose failures, optimize behavior models, and inform iterative development
Contribute to the autonomy roadmap by researching and prototyping new algorithms, identifying tactical capability gaps, and proposing novel solutions that advance Shield AI’s mission
Support defense-focused programs and customer needs by adapting autonomy solutions to evolving mission sets, compliance requirements, and operational feedback
Members of this team typically travel around 10-15% of the year (to different office locations, customer sites, and flight integration events)
Qualification
Required
BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience
Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 9 years and a Master's degree; or 7 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience
Proficiency in programming languages such as C++ and Python, and familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS)
Significant background in robotics technologies related to motion planning, behavior modeling, decision-making, or autonomous system design
Significant experience with unmanned system technologies and accompanying algorithms (specifically air domain)
Experience with simulation tools and environments (e.g., AFSIM, NGTS) for testing and validation
Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance
Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment
Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance
Preferred
Experience applying ML/RL techniques in autonomy pipelines
Background in collaborative behaviors, swarm robotics, or distributed decision-making
Familiarity with tactical behaviors for unmanned systems in DoD or government programs
Work on behaviors applicable across air, ground, and maritime vehicles
Hands-on experience supporting flight demos or live exercises
Experience with UCI and OMS Standards
Benefits
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Company
Shield AI
Shield AI is a deep-tech company that focuses on developing AI-powered systems to enhance the safety of service members and civilians.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$1.31BKey Investors
Hercules CapitalUS Innovative Technology FundSnowpoint Ventures
2025-03-06Series F· $240M
2023-12-29Debt Financing· $200M
2023-10-31Series F· $300M
Leadership Team
Gary Steele
Chief Executive Officer
Brandon Tseng
Co-Founder
Recent News
Washington Technology
2026-01-11
Company data provided by crunchbase