Senior Principal Autonomy Engineer

Shield AI builds Hivemind autonomy software and the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and this role is the technical authority for the autonomy stack that flies them.

The scope is sensing through control: RF sensing, signal processing, state estimation, sensor fusion, guidance, navigation and vehicle control, for systems that have to keep working in contested and fast-changing conditions. Concretely the work is radar and RF algorithms, meaning waveform design, adaptive beamforming, direction finding, target detection and tracking, clutter mitigation and electronic protection, plus the simulation and verification that proves any of it: RF scene generation, sensor models, six degree of freedom vehicle simulation and Monte Carlo analysis. The job owns multi-year technical roadmaps, leads trade studies and architecture reviews, and connects algorithm work to embedded implementation, hardware integration, test and fielded capability. It includes building and mentoring the teams doing it.

Two things to read before applying. It requires the ability to obtain and maintain a US government security clearance, and an active Secret or higher is preferred, so in practice it is open to people who can hold one. The band is the widest on the board, and Shield AI says the offer within it depends on experience, certifications and specific work location. Remote, US.