Senior Software Engineer, Autonomy

2 weeks ago

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Shield AI Full time US$100,000 - US$150,000 per year

Shield AI is a venture-backed defence technology company building intelligent autonomous systems for aircraft. Our mission is to protect service members and civilians through AI and autonomy.

Founded in 2015, Shield AI's flagship autonomy software, Hivemind, powers aircraft, drones, and other platforms to perform complex missions with high reliability in contested environments.

For more information, visit and follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

We're on the lookout for an experienced Senior Engineer to join our Hivemind Solutions team and help design, build and deploy real-world autonomous capabilities for uncrewed systems. This is a hands-on engineering role, blending software development with robotics, perception and path planning. You'll be joining a high-performing team shaping the future of AI pilots for solving real-world problems.

If you're a capable C++ developer with a passion for robotics and autonomy, this is your chance to make a real impact.

What You'll Do:

  • As an Senior Engineer, you'll work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, task & motion planning and controls.
  • Design and implement autonomous behaviours for uncrewed aircraft.
  • Work with real sensor data and build robust sensor fusion solutions.
  • Develop and test autonomy systems in high-fidelity software and hardware in-the-loop simulations.
  • Integrate Shield AI autonomy products together with third-party aircraft and systems.
  • Collaborate across AI, robotics, and systems engineering teams to deliver integrated solutions.
  • Contribute to architecture, code quality, design reviews and best practices.

What You'll Bring:

  • Strong experience in modern C++.
  • Tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mechatronics or a related field.
  • A background in robotics, autonomy, perception, or aerospace systems.
  • Experience building and delivering reliable software systems, ideally in fast-paced environments.
  • Comfortable working in Linux/Unix development environments.
  • Expertise in one or more of the following domains:
  • Real-Time Systems
  • State Estimation
  • Guidance, Navigation and Control
  • Computer Vision
  • Path Planning
  • Hardware or Software in the Loop Simulation
  • Systems Engineering

Bonus Points For:

  • Prior experience with uncrewed systems, especially in the air domain.
  • Defence industry experience.
  • Deep understanding of sensor fusion, Kalman filters, and/or trajectory planning.
  • Exposure to containerisation, CI/CD and/or Kubernetes.
  • Recent Python Experience.

Why Shield AI?

  • Work on cutting-edge autonomous aircraft systems that solve real-world defence challenges
  • Be part of a supportive, ambitious team where ideas move fast
  • Hybrid role based in Port Melbourne
  • Competitive salary + equity, with flexible working options

$0 - $0 a year

Help us redefine what's possible in autonomous defence - apply today.
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, colour, 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.

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