Chief Engineer, Autonomy (R4614)

Shield AI
Washington
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeFunction: Software EngineeringExperience: 10+ yearsEducation: bachelorsSkills: ["Communication","Leadership","Problem-solving"]

Lead as Chief Engineer on autonomy solutions for unmanned aircraft systems, directing the Hivemind Autonomy architecture and program delivery. Manage a 6-20 engineer team across IRAD and DoD contracts, setting technical objectives, guiding design decisions, and ensuring high-quality, certifiable software and system-level deliverables with strong communication and leadership.

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FursaFursa
Shield AI
Shield AI
1 year ago

Chief Engineer, Autonomy (R4614)

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Source: Company careers pageValidated by: Fursa AI
Last checked: 16 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Lead as Chief Engineer on autonomy solutions for unmanned aircraft systems, directing the Hivemind Autonomy architecture and program delivery. Manage a 6-20 engineer team across IRAD and DoD contracts, setting technical objectives, guiding design decisions, and ensuring high-quality, certifiable software and system-level deliverables with strong communication and leadership.
Location: Washington
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Software Engineering

Key Responsibilities

  • •Serve as the Chief Engineer on Shield AI projects focused on developing and deploying autonomy solutions for unmanned aircraft
  • •Lead a team responsible for advancing Hivemind Autonomy and shaping DoD autonomy architectures
  • •Define and assign technical objectives, make key engineering decisions, and ensure the quality and completeness of all technical deliverables
  • •Provide technical leadership and oversight across both Internal Research and Development (IRAD) initiatives and DoD contracts
  • •Contribute to government contract proposal writing and collaborate with stakeholders to meet program requirements

Key Requirements

  • •BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree
  • •10+ years of industry experience in autonomy and/or UAS platforms (defense tech, self-driving car, etc.)
  • •7+ years of delivering software into production/certifiable environments with high-reliability
  • •Understanding of guidance, control and navigation (GNC) (e.g. controls, estimation, planning)
  • •Understanding of robotics stack (e.g., controls, estimation, perception, planning)
Experience:10+ yearsDefenseUASAutonomy
Education:Bachelor's
Skills:CommunicationLeadershipProblem-solving
Tech Stack:GNCRoboticsAutonomySoftware deploymentSystems design

Company Brief

Shield AI
Develops AI-powered autonomy and software for military aircraft and drones to enable autonomous ISR and combat missions, integrating perception, navigation, and mission planning for defense customers.
Industry: Defense Technology
Company Size: Large (251 to 1,000 employees)
Growth: Scaleup
Funding: Series E+
Headquarters: San Diego, United States
Founded: 2015
WebsiteLinkedIn