Full-Time

Sr. Engineering Manager

Autonomy and Executive Reasoning

Confirmed live in the last 24 hours

Shield AI

Shield AI

501-1,000 employees

Develops AI and autonomous systems for defense

Compensation Overview

$187.6k - $281.4k/yr

+ Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Expert

San Diego, CA, USA

US Top Secret Clearance Required

Category
Engineering Management
Software Development Management
Required Skills
C/C++
Requirements
  • M.S in Computer science, Aerospace or related engineering field
  • 9+ years of experience in engineering autonomous systems or equivalent engineering roles
  • 3+ years of people leadership experience leading teams of 4+ people
  • Experience with path or behavior planning, motion planning or task planning
  • Demonstrated ability to take ideas from academic works, and polish them to enable production ready capabilities
  • Proficient in software delivery and managing execution toward tight timelines
  • Proficient with C++ 11 or newer in a production environment
  • Experience in a collaborative development environment, focused on continuous integration/delivery & test-driven development
  • Strong knowledge of modern software engineering best practices
  • Demonstrated record of working hard, strong communication skills, being a trustworthy teammate, and being kind to others
  • Strong organizational skills
Responsibilities
  • Lead the technical direction and roadmap for a range of Cognition capabilities including but not limited to robot team management, multi-agent task assignment, task scheduling & coordination, intelligent failure handling, intelligent attrition management, and system explainability
  • Enable intuitive and easy workflows for SDK customers to develop customizations and extensions to successfully achieve their autonomy objectives and aspirations
  • Serve as the architect for the Executive Reasoning stack to enable modularity, correctness and extensibility
  • Grow & mentor the autonomy and software engineers in the team via performance feedback, technical guidance and code reviews
  • Ensure high morale and excitement in the team by connecting day-to-day efforts to the big picture, ensuring alignment of personal goals with company objectives, and actively taking steps to set them up for success
  • Grow the team by identifying gaps and projecting headcount needs
  • Lead planning and execution for the team to ensure informed team commitments and timely delivery of those commitments
  • Work in close collaboration with other Pilot teams (State-estimation, Object tracking, Path & Motion Planning, Mapping) to ensure correctness and cohesiveness of the overall Pilot product
  • Work in collaboration with Program and Product managers to define a feasible technical roadmap for future autonomy solutions
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in the autonomous vehicle industry
  • Ph.D. in Computer science, or related engineering field
  • 5+ years of people leadership experience
  • Experience leading a team that shipped commercial grade products
  • Experience in productizing prototypes into commercial products

Shield AI specializes in creating artificial intelligence and autonomous systems specifically for the defense industry. The company develops AI-powered systems, including autonomous drones, that assist military operations, particularly in environments where GPS and communications are unavailable. This technology enhances safety and efficiency during defense operations. Shield AI differentiates itself from competitors by focusing on advanced AI solutions tailored for government and military clients, securing significant contracts like the multi-billion dollar EWAAC contract, which validates its capabilities. The company's goal is to protect lives through innovative technology while expanding its influence in the defense sector.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

Late Stage VC

Total Funding

$1.3B

Headquarters

San Diego, California

Founded

2015

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Series F funding round raised $1 billion, boosting Shield AI's growth potential.
  • Partnerships with Korea Aerospace and Singapore Air Force expand Shield AI's market reach.
  • Upgraded V-BAT drone showcases ongoing innovation, attracting more defense contracts.

What critics are saying

  • Increased competition from firms like Elbit Systems and Leonardo in AI systems.
  • Potential regulatory delays could hinder deployment of new AI technologies.
  • Dependence on government contracts risks revenue if defense spending priorities shift.

What makes Shield AI unique

  • Hivemind is the first autonomous AI Pilot deployed in combat since 2018.
  • Shield AI's V-BAT drone excels in electronic warfare resilience, enhancing ISR capabilities.
  • Strategic acquisitions like Martin UAV and DDR software boost Shield AI's technological edge.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Medical Insurance Coverage

Long Term Disability Insurance

Health Care FSA and Dependent Care FSA

Employee Assistance Program

Subsidized Gym Membership

Pet Insurance

Competitive Compensation

Retirement Services

Life Insurance

Parental Leave

Bereavement Support

Flexible Work Hours

PTO

Paid Holidays

Commuter Benefits

Relaxed Dress Code

Yearly Swag Items

Unlimited Snacks

Bottomless Beverages

Annual Celebrations

Work From Home Benefits

Standing Desks and Widescreen Monitors

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
AlleyWatch
Apr 18th, 2025
Shield AI Raises $1B in Series F

Shield AI, a San Diego-based deep-tech company, raised a Series F funding round in March 2025, bringing its total equity funding to $1 billion. The company focuses on AI-powered systems for enhancing safety. Key investors in this round include Andreessen Horowitz, Cacti, Hanwha Aerospace, L3Harris Technologies, and US Innovative Technology Fund.

UAS Weekly
Apr 16th, 2025
Shield AI Boosts AI Pilot Training with Crowdbotics' DDR Software Acquisition

Shield AI, the deep-tech company building state-of-the-art autonomy software products and defense aircraft, today announced the acquisition of the Data Driven Readiness (DDR) intellectual property assets from Crowdbotics, Inc.

Cyber Daily
Apr 9th, 2025
Shield AI encourages Australia to 'get on board and shape development' of Hivemind systems

Shield AI discussed its Hivemind system, designed to operate alongside human decision-makers, reduce load on personnel operators, and leverage real-time data and geospatial insights, on the sidelines of the recent Australian International Airshow 2025 in Melbourne.

Shephard Media
Apr 9th, 2025
Shield AI unveils V-Bat block upgrade

Shield AI has officially unveiled its new upgrade variant of the V-Bat, at the Sea Air and Space exhibition on 7 April.

The Defense Post
Apr 8th, 2025
Shield AI Launches Upgraded V-BAT Drone for US, Allied Users

Shield AI has introduced a modernized version of its V-BAT unmanned aerial system to provide enhanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operability for US and allied customers.