Role details
Job description
The Autonomy Capabilities team develops reusable mission behaviors, motion-planning, decision-making, and multi-agent software that can be integrated across unmanned platforms. We validate capabilities in simulation and representative system environments before they are used by integration teams.
As an Engineer II, you will deliver bounded autonomy features and tests using established technical direction. You will investigate moderately defined behavior and integration issues, explain tradeoffs in your area, and work with adjacent teams to make capabilities usable. Senior engineers remain responsible for larger architecture and cross-program technical direction.
What you'll do
* Implement C++ changes to planning, mission behavior, coordination, or contingency capabilities using established designs.
* Build unit, integration, and simulation tests; define expected results for assigned work and investigate failures.
* Analyze logs and scenario results to identify behavioral, configuration, or interface issues and verify fixes.
* Help integrate reusable capabilities with platform and mission software, perception inputs, and operator-facing interfaces.
* Improve examples, documentation, configuration, and developer tools that make a capability easier to validate and adopt.
* Coordinate with autonomy, perception, integration, simulation, and GCS/C2 teammates on assigned interfaces.
* Communicate progress, risks, test evidence, and open questions in reviews and debriefs.
We are seeking Autonomous Software Engineers for full-time roles starting in 2027! This is a paid, in-person, full-time position for students graduating during the 2026-2027 academic year. We are now reviewing applications for positions starting after graduation in 2027.
Required Qualifications
* Typically 2+ years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree, or equivalent work experience; relevant graduate work or substantial project experience may be considered.
* Working proficiency in C++ or Python and ability to contribute in the other language with support.
* Experience with Linux development, Git, debugging, and automated software tests.
* Applied experience through work, research, or substantial projects in robotics, planning, controls, AI, simulation, or autonomy software.
* Ability to complete a bounded feature with tests and communicate where guidance or design decisions are needed.
* Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
* Experience with motion planning, state machines, multi-agent coordination, decision-making, or optimization.
* Experience with robotics middleware, simulation frameworks, CI, or distributed systems.
* Familiarity with integrating algorithms into production software and evaluating behavior in representative scenarios.
Role context
This Engineer II, Software - Autonomy Capabilities - New Grad - 6131 role at Shield AI sits in the engineering track within defense and autonomy. The position is tied to United States and is posted within the last 16 days, which signals active hiring intent rather than archived demand. Compensation is not disclosed in the source listing, so candidates should verify range details directly with the employer. Combined with the live company and role links on this page, this listing gives candidates a direct path to compare equivalent openings by employer, market, and role focus.
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