Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a defense technology company backed by venture capital, dedicated to safeguarding both military personnel and civilians through intelligent systems. Its product offerings include the V-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and Hivemind Vision. With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Boston, Abu Dhabi, Kyiv, and Melbourne, Shield AI’s technology supports U.S. and allied missions around the globe. Learn more at https://shield.ai and follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Planning and Controls (PAC) team is a dynamic group of engineers focused on developing advanced algorithms that enable intelligent and reliable flight behaviors in complex and unpredictable environments.

As a PAC team member, you will work at the crossroads of AI, task and motion planning, and control systems. Your responsibilities will include designing and developing core systems, writing high-quality software, setting engineering standards, refining technical requirements, leading strategic technical initiatives, and mentoring fellow engineers.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

– Research, design, and implement cutting-edge planning algorithms from concept through deployment
– Optimize planning systems for both CPU and GPU
– Develop scalable and portable core systems for various UAS platforms and computing environments
– Collaborate with the Hivemind Design Software team to build infrastructure that supports local development and cloud scalability
– Work with real-time operating systems, both soft and hard
– Contribute to algorithms for task assignment and multi-agent task scheduling
– Deploy AI systems to edge devices
– Partner with DevOps teams to design and maintain cloud infrastructure using tools like Docker and Kubernetes; support cross-platform builds and testing using tools such as CMake, Bazel, gcc, and llvm

POTENTIAL PROJECTS:

– Create mission planning interfaces or multi-agent coordination systems for diverse task teams
– Adapt PAC libraries to run on CUDA kernels
– Port PAC libraries to EdgeOS, Shield AI’s middleware framework for cross-platform compatibility
– Build simulation and analysis frameworks that support isolated and integrated testing, parameter sweeps, and hardware-in-the-loop setups

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

– Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related engineering field and 7+ years of professional experience
– Proficiency in C++ (versions 11, 14, 17, or 20+) in production environments
– Experience with collaborative development, continuous integration/delivery, and test-driven development
– Strong grasp of modern software engineering practices
– Proven track record of hard work, effective communication, teamwork, and professionalism
– Experience writing thread-safe, multi-threaded applications
– Familiarity with debugging and profiling tools like gdb and valgrind
– Proficient with git, bash, and Python

Salary Range: $182,000 – $274,000 per year

Full-time regular employees receive a compensation package that includes salary, bonus, benefits, and equity. Temporary employees receive salary and a temporary benefits package (after 60 days of employment). Compensation is based on various factors such as experience, skills, certifications, and location. Employment offers are subject to background and reference checks. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please consult your talent acquisition representative for details.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities.