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Staff Engineer, Software Autonomy Applications (R4987)

Onsite
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About this role

Shield 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 www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Job Description:

Our Applications Engineers are highly technical, customer-facing problem solvers who play a critical role in deploying Shield AI’s Hivemind software in real-world environments.   

In this role, you will work closely with customers to understand their requirements, provide technical expertise and customer support during deployment, and ensure successful integration of Hivemind. You’ll also collaborate internally with engineering teams to develop and test new autonomy capabilities.   

This role is travel-intensive, with frequent trips, often international, and sometimes lasting multiple weeks, to work directly alongside customers on-site. 

What you'll do:

  • Deploy with customers on site (~50% travel) to support software integration and development activities.   
  • Become an expert user of the Hivemind enterprise software stack and its various autonomy modules.   
  • Provide technical support and training to customers on use of Hivemind.   
  • Develop AI & Autonomy applications using the Shield AI enterprise software development kit.  
  • Assist the sales team in pre-sales activities, e.g., demos, conferences, immersions  
  • Assist in post-sales deployment and integration of Shield AI enterprise software products.   
  • Develop and maintain technical documentation and training materials.   
  • Help customers debug software/API integration issues.   
  • Collaborate with the product engineering team to address customer feedback and improve products.   

Required qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, and 7+ years of industry experience, OR   
  • Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, and 5+ years of industry experience.  
  • Strong technical background in software engineering.   
  • Strong proficiency in writing modern C++ code.   
  • Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.   
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills. 

Preferred qualifications:

  • Experience in the defense, aviation, autonomy, or robotics industry.   
  • Prior experience as a customer-facing solutions engineer, application engineer, or sales engineer.  
  • Experience operating in a fast-paced, startup-like, environment.  
  • Advanced technical degree, especially in robotics or autonomy related fields 

Additional Information

#LI-FB1
#LD

Our international teammates receive a comprehensive total rewards package aligned to your country office location. For full details on compensation and benefits, please consult your talent acquisition partner.

Skills & Technologies

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Job Details

Company
Shield AI
Work Type
Onsite
Posted
May 15, 2026
Source freshness
Seen on employer source 32m ago

About Shield AI

Shield AI is building the world's best AI pilot. Their Hivemind AI powers autonomous aircraft for defense applications, enabling drones to fly missions in GPS-denied environments without communications.

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