Senior Engineer, Software - Autonomous Aircraft Integration (Washington)

Senior Engineer, Software - Autonomous Aircraft Integration

This position is ideal for an individual who thrives on solving complex integration challenges that span hardware, software, and systems engineering. A successful candidate will be skilled at deploying autonomy solutions onto unmanned platforms, preparing systems for flight, and troubleshooting mission-critical issues in both lab and field environments. The role is highly dynamic, requiring hands-on experience, strong systems thinking, and the ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, real-world test conditions.

Shield AI is committed to developing cutting-edge autonomy for unmanned aircraft operating across all Department of Defense (DoD) domains, including air, sea, and land. Our Flight Integration Engineers are essential to bridging the gap between R&D and deployment, ensuring that autonomous systems function reliably and effectively when and where they are needed most.

What You'll Do :

• System Integration & Deployment Integrate autonomy software onto unmanned aircraft systems, ensuring seamless operation across onboard compute, sensors, and control interfaces.
• Pre-flight Preparation Own the build, configuration, and validation process for flight-ready systems; coordinate hardware / software compatibility and mission readiness.
• On-site Flight Test Support Travel to test sites and support live flight operations, including safety checks, system bring-up, and troubleshooting under time-critical constraints.
• Hardware / Software Debugging Diagnose and resolve integration issues across complex autonomy software stacks and embedded systems in lab and field environments.
• Flight Data Capture & Analysis Manage data collection during missions and post-test analysis, working with autonomy engineers to refine behaviors and identify improvements.
• Collaboration Across Teams Work closely with autonomy, GNC, systems, and test teams to ensure mission-critical functionality is delivered on time and validated thoroughly.
• Continuous Improvement Build tools and processes to improve integration timelines, flight test reliability, and team efficiency across deployment cycles.
• Support Certification and Compliance Assist with documentation and system-level validation required for certification, airworthiness, and compliance in defense-relevant environments.
• Travel Requirement Members of this team typically travel around 30-40% of the year (to different office locations, customer sites, and flight integration events).

Required Qualifications :

Preferred Qualifications :

$160,000 - $240,000 a year

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary 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.