Chief Engineer – Autonomous Systems

About the role

The Chief Engineer will lead the development and deployment of advanced autonomy solutions for unmanned combat aircraft within Shield AI’s Hivemind Solutions organization. This senior technical authority is responsible for system architecture, design, risk mitigation, and product quality across defense contracts and internal research initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as the Chief Engineer on projects focused on autonomy solutions for unmanned aircraft.
• Lead a team advancing Hivemind Autonomy and shaping defense autonomy architectures.
• Define and assign technical objectives, make key engineering decisions, and ensure the quality and completeness of all technical deliverables.
• Provide technical leadership and oversight across both Internal Research and Development (IRAD) initiatives and defense contracts.

Required profile

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, or a similar degree.
• 10+ years of industry experience in autonomy and/or UAS platforms (e.g., defense tech, self‑driving car).
• 7+ years delivering software into production/certifiable environments with high reliability.
• Understanding of guidance, control and navigation (GNC) – controls, estimation, planning.
• Understanding of the robotics stack – controls, estimation, perception, planning.
• Experience with software development processes and effective software deployment.
• Experience defining technical scope, managing requirements, product architectures, ICDs, and system‑level design documentation.
• Demonstrated problem‑solving skills using a scientific technical approach.
• Customer‑facing engineering leader supporting both defense and internally funded programs.
• Contribution to government contract proposal writing.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, managing teams of 6‑20 engineers.

Required skills

• Guidance, control and navigation (GNC) expertise.
• Robotics stack knowledge (controls, estimation, perception, planning).
• Software development processes for high‑reliability production environments.