Engineering Manager, Sensing & Mapping (R3122)

About Shield AI     

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company focused on protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its flagship autonomy software, Hivemind, powers aircraft, drones, and other platforms, enabling complex missions with high reliability in contested environments. With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and internationally, Shield AI’s products actively support U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn,Twitter, and Instagram.   

As a leader in the Hivemind Autonomy organization, you will contribute to an ambitious mission to design, develop, integrate, test, and deploy the world’s best AI Pilot—capable of executing any mission on any platform. Your expertise in core Perception technologies, such as sensors, sensor calibration, characterization, filtering and fusion for environment representation and estimation will be instrumental in driving this mission forward.

• Collaborate closely with the product team to clarify and prioritize product requirements.
• Provide clear guidance on scope of work and set achievable goals for the development team.
• Optimize capacity allocation based on business needs to maximize team efficiency and impact.
• Establish a commitment-driven environment where the team can reliably deliver features that exceed customer expectations for the Hivemind product.
• In your role, you’ll also play a critical part in building organizational talent by partnering with talent acquisition throughout the hiring process (recruiting, resume screening, interviews, onboarding) and nurturing a culture of excellence by setting clear job expectations, engaging in performance reviews, and fostering continuous feedback. With a servant leadership mindset, you’ll support team members’ growth in skill development, career advancement, promotion planning, and employee recognition.

• Generate feasible and inspiring roadmaps in collaboration with your team and broader org
• Set team direction to maximize value-delivery to the org and the product
• Resolve technical hurdles by serving as the informed and experienced voice in the room

• Manage a team of 5 to 7 autonomy developers, splitting your time equally between leadership and hands-on development.
• Develop production-quality autonomy software in C++ for deployment on military platforms, ensuring code robustness, efficiency, and scalability.
• Provide technical leadership in the design and architecture of key perception framework components.
• Drive product roadmap execution by leading feature decomposition, capacity planning, and agile development processes.
• Balance rigor and speed in a fast-paced, collaborative, and continuous development environment.

• Minimum of 7 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a master’s degree; or 4 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience.
• Proven experience as a people manager overseeing a team of C++ developers.
• High proficiency in modern C++ and design patterns with a strong record in a core perception discipline (e.g., sensor characterization, sensor modeling, calibration, fusion, Image processing, Visual detection, tracking, SLAM) or another autonomy field.
• Experience across the full lifecycle of perception software development, testing, and deployment to edge computing environments.
• Familiarity with CI pipelines and automated testing frameworks for C++.
• Strong proficiency with Linux operating systems.

• Previous experience delivering autonomy software (C++) to DoD customers.
• Familiarity with navigational sensors (IMU, GPS, barometers, magnetometers).
• Experience with GPS-denied navigation technologies.
• Understanding of EO/IR sensors and RF sensors.

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Total package details for U.S. based positions:

- Regular employee positions: Salary within range listed above + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

- Temporary employee positions: Hourly within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days

of employment)

- Interns/Military Fellows/Part-time not eligible for bonus, benefits or equity

Total package details for International positions which are roles based outside of the United States (where applicable):

- International premium, hardship differential, cost of living differential, living quarters allowance, foreign service transfer

allowance, equity, international benefits, visa assistance, and relocation assistance.

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.