---
title: 'Senior Staff Engineer, Autonomy Software Integration & Test (R5539) at Shield AI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-staff-engineer-autonomy-software-integration-test-r5539-shield-ai-london-mq0v3y191khf'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Senior Staff Engineer, Autonomy Software Integration & Test (R5539) at Shield AI

- **Company:** Shield AI
- **Location:** London, United Kingdom
- **Employment:** internship
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-06
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai/ed94166e-4bf4-4e8d-a8ac-733855ed6ddb

## Job description

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.

What you'll do:

- Develop and contribute production-quality software features and capabilities for autonomous systems
- Design, implement, debug, and maintain software components supporting autonomy, mission execution, system integration, and flight operations
- Integrate autonomy software onto fixed-wing, multirotor, and other unmanned or autonomous systems
- Develop internal tools, automation, telemetry analysis pipelines, and test infrastructure in C++ and Python
- Support software bring-up, system configuration, and mission readiness for flight operations
- Debug and troubleshoot issues across autonomy software, onboard compute, radios, networking, sensors, flight controllers, and mission systems
- Support simulation, SIL, HIL, VIL, ground testing, and live flight test activities
- Support field demonstrations and operational test events, including pre-flight setup, system validation, troubleshooting, and post-flight analysis
- Operate and troubleshoot Ground Control Stations (GCS) and mission support systems
- Capture, analyze, and review flight and system data to support root cause analysis and system improvements
- Work closely with autonomy, systems, hardware, and flight test teams to rapidly integrate and validate new capabilities
- Support rapid software iteration and operational testing in dynamic startup and field environments
- Contribute to operational documentation, test procedures, integration workflows, and deployment readiness activities
- Travel to test sites and support field operations as required

Required qualifications:

- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience
- 3+ years of experience developing and integrating software for robotics, autonomy, aerospace, embedded systems, or related technical fields
- Strong software engineering experience in C++ and Python, including development, debugging, and system integration
- Experience contributing to complex software systems in robotics, autonomy, aerospace, embedded systems, or related domains
- Experience working with Linux-based systems and development environments
- Hands-on experience integrating and troubleshooting hardware and software systems
- Experience supporting field testing, flight testing, demonstrations, or operational exercises
- Familiarity with MAVLink, PX4, ArduPilot, QGroundControl, or related unmanned systems technologies
- Experience debugging distributed or cross-disciplinary systems involving software, networking, sensors, radios, onboard compute, and mission systems
- Strong sense of ownership and ability to operate independently in fast-paced environments
- Strong problem-solving mindset and willingness to work across disciplines
- Ability to travel within Ukraine as required

Preferred qualifications:

- Experience supporting autonomous aircraft or unmanned systems
- Experience with SIL, HIL, VIL, simulation, or flight test environments
- Familiarity with ROS, DDS, embedded systems, or real-time systems
- Experience with RF communications, datalinks, and networking systems
- Experience supporting live flight demonstrations or operational deployments
- Familiarity with flight controllers, avionics systems, and aircraft integration
- Experience building internal tools for testing, automation, telemetry analysis, or operational support
- Background in defense, robotics, aerospace, or autonomous systems
- Ukrainian and English language proficiency
- Experience operating in fast-paced and dynamic field environments

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.

## About Shield AI

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Shield AI builds AI pilots and autonomous systems for military aircraft to protect service members and civilians.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series G, venture-backed)
- **Headquarters**: San Diego, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2015
- **Founders**: Brandon Tseng, Ryan Tseng, Andrew Reiter

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Defense technology, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, aerospace
- Target customers: U.S. Department of Defense, allied nations’ military forces (B2G / Government)
- Mission or purpose statement: “Protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.”

## Products & Services
- **Hivemind**: A combat‑tested, modular autonomy stack for aircraft – self‑driving technology for drones, jets, and helicopters. Includes path‑planning, mapping, state‑estimation, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. Type: Software (AI/autonomy).
- **V‑BAT**: A vertical take‑off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed for persistent ISR and strike missions. Type: Hardware (drone).
- **X‑BAT**: An advanced unmanned aircraft system with extended endurance and payload capacity, built for multi‑domain operations. Type: Hardware (drone).
- **Hivemind Vision Systems**: Computer‑vision and sensor‑fusion capabilities integrated into Hivemind for GPS‑denied environments. Type: Software + sensors.
- **Hivemind Enterprise**: A deployable version of Hivemind for third‑party platforms and commercial applications. Type: Software.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company). Total funding raised: $3.6B (as of Series G in March 2026).
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue ~$21.7M (estimated, private) | Total Funding $3.6B (including $2B Series G led by JP Morgan Chase and Advent International, March 2026).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: JP Morgan Chase, Advent International, Blackstone, Riot Ventures, SnowPoint Ventures, Disruptive (55+ investors total). Strategic partners include U.S. DoD and allied defense forces.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 68.3% YoY to 1,283 employees; 338 active job postings (+57.2% YoY); operates in 5 countries (U.S., Australia, UAE, Norway, Ukraine); recent acquisitions of Sentient Vision Systems (2024), Heron Systems, MARTIN UAV.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Combat‑proven autonomy**: Hivemind has been tested in live military operations, providing a first‑mover advantage in contested, GPS‑denied environments.
- **Full‑stack integration**: Combines software (AI pilot), hardware (V‑BAT, X‑BAT), and sensor systems, creating a tightly integrated product ecosystem.
- **Cross‑functional engineering culture**: Engineers work across AI, robotics, aerospace, and defense – not siloed – enabling rapid iteration and field deployment.
- **Top talent pipeline**: Employees drawn from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Amazon, Anduril, and other leading defense/tech firms.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale AI pilots across all domains**: Extend Hivemind from aircraft to ships, satellites, and ground vehicles (“every military asset”).
- **International expansion**: Growing presence in Australia, Europe, and Middle East via mission autonomy centers and partnerships.
- **Deepen autonomy stack**: Continued investment in reinforcement learning, simulation, and computer vision to maintain leadership in contested‑environment autonomy.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission‑driven work**: Directly contribute to protecting service members and civilians with cutting‑edge AI and robotics.
- **Cross‑functional teams**: Engineers collaborate across disciplines (AI, hardware, software, systems) on real‑world defense challenges.
- **Benefits**: Excellent medical coverage, mental health EAP, paid parental leave, pet insurance, flexible work hours, gym discounts (SD) / on‑site gym (DC), free parking, competitive compensation, 401k with match, stock benefits.
- **Work policy**: Flexible work hours; some offices (e.g., San Diego HQ, Arlington, DC) have on‑site facilities. Remote/hybrid options available depending on role.
- **Growth trajectory**: Rapidly scaling (68% headcount growth) with hundreds of open roles across engineering, operations, and program management.

## Sources
1. [shield.ai/about](https://shield.ai/about/)
2. [shield.ai/careers](https://shield.ai/careers/)
3. [LinkedIn – Shield AI](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shield-ai)
4. [CBInsights – Shield AI](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/shield-ai)
5. [Lever – Shield AI Jobs](https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai)

## Other roles at Shield AI

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- [Senior Staff Engineer, Systems Integration (R5415)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-staff-engineer-systems-integration-r5415-shield-ai-san-diego-52459eswjfqm) — San Diego, CA
- [Senior Director, Hivemind Operations & Sustainment (R5855)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-director-hivemind-operations-sustainment-r5855-shield-ai-washington-gjnpmamw2pth) — Washington, DC
- [Senior Staff Engineer, System Architect (R5843)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-staff-engineer-system-architect-r5843-shield-ai-san-diego-swcv39vpw9fv) — San Diego, CA
- [Simulation Specialist, India](https://feeny.ai/job/simulation-specialist-india-shield-ai-bengaluru-n5jfqvf03jy2) — Bengaluru, India
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