Senior Staff Engineer, Autonomy Capabilities – Space (R5360)

Washington, D.C.full time

On Site

senior

H1B: no

Shield Senior Staff Engineer for Autonomy Capabilities in Space portfolio at Shield AI, focusing on creating autonomy capabilities for satellites and missile defense applications. Responsible for developing capabilities from the ground up and integrating them onto new platforms with a blend of control system approaches and advanced optimization.

Responsibilities

Multi-Objective Optimization – Use advanced optimization strategies to perform large-scale distributed decision making, task allocation, and resource scheduling in multi-satellite coordinated missions
Weapons Target Assignment – Employ cutting edge approaches for weapons target assignment and motion planning for fleets of space vehicles and interceptors that have critical roles in our national defense
Advance the State of the Art – Pioneer advanced topics in low-SWaP optimal control, tactical behavior management in cooperative and adversarial contexts, and information-aware planning
Rigorous Software Development – Develop high-performance software modules that are well-tested, have clear interfaces and span-of-control, and are ready for mid-to-high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) insertions
Cross-Functional Collaboration – Collaborate with cross-functional teams including perception, planning, simulation, hardware, and flight test to ensure seamless integration of autonomy solutions on real-world platforms
Deployment & Test Support – Deploy autonomy capabilities to real space vehicles, supporting analysis of mission logs to verify software performance and validate system operational effect
R&D and Road-mapping – Contribute to autonomy roadmaps by researching and prototyping new algorithms, identifying tactical capability gaps, and proposing novel solutions that advance Shield AI’s mission
Travel Requirement – Members of this team typically travel around 10-15% of the year (to different office locations, customer sites, and flight integration events).

Qualification

BS/MS in Computer ScienceStrong problem-solving skillsAbility to obtain a SECRET clearanceTemporary employee offer package

Required

BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and/or similar degree, or equivalent practical experience
Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 9 years and a Master’s degree; or 7 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience.
Proficiency in programming languages such as C++ and Python, and familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS).
Significant background in robotics technologies related to motion planning, behavior modeling, decision-making, or autonomous system design.
Significant experience with unmanned system technologies and accompanying algorithms (ideally in the space domain specifically)
Experience with simulation tools and environments (e.g., AFSIM, NGTS) for testing and validation.
Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance.
Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment.
Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Preferred

Experience in multiple aerospace domains (e.g., air, land, sea, space)
Experience across a breadth of methodologies from classical control through optimization and applied ML/RL
Background in collaborative behaviors and swarm robotics
Familiarity with domain-relevant DoD or government programs
Hands-on experience supporting integration events, customer demos, and/or live exercises
Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package: