Senior Staff Engineer, Full Stack GCS (R2933)

Shield AI

Shield AI

Software Engineering
Dallas County, TX, USA
Posted on Oct 5, 2024
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company whose mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. In pursuit of this mission, Shield AI is building the world’s best AI pilot. Its AI pilot, Hivemind, has flown a fighter jet (F-16), a vertical takeoff and landing drone (V-BAT), and a quadcopter (Nova). The company has offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington DC and abroad. Shield AI’s products and people are currently in the field actively supporting operations with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies.
As the Senior Staff Engineering leader for Ground Control Software, you will lead a team responsible for building and optimizing user-facing software systems that interface with our unmanned aerial systems (UAS). This includes managing the development of ground control systems and intuitive front-end interfaces that empower users to efficiently control and monitor UAS operations.

What you'll do:

  • Lead the development and optimization of ground control software, ensuring seamless communication between UAVs and the control systems.
  • Manage the front-end development team to create intuitive and user-friendly interfaces for ground control operations.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including back-end developers, autonomy engineers, and UX/UI designers, to deliver integrated solutions.
  • Oversee the design, development, and deployment of real-time data visualization and control tools for UAV operations.
  • Ensure software systems are robust, scalable, and meet performance requirements for real-time operations.
  • Drive the continuous improvement of front-end development practices, ensuring code quality, maintainability, and user-centered design principles.
  • Mentor and develop the ground control and front-end development teams, fostering innovation and professional growth.
  • Manage project timelines, budgets, and resources to ensure successful delivery of software products.

Required qualifications:

  • Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 9 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 7 years experience; or equivalent experience.
  • Extensive experience in software development, with a focus on front-end technologies (e.g., JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML5, CSS, React, Angular, Vue.js).
  • Experience with containerization and container management using Kubernetes, Docker, etc.
  • Experience developing software to interface with web APIs, including proficiency with gRPC and RESTful APIs.
  • Proven track record of managing teams and delivering complex software products.
  • Experience in developing and optimizing ground control software or real-time control systems.
  • Strong understanding of real-time communication protocols and back-end integration.
  • Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with a focus on delivering user-centric software solutions.
  • Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage and inspire cross-functional teams. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Proven track record of successfully shipping products, showcasing the ability to navigate through development cycles, overcome obstacles, and deliver high-quality solutions to meet project deadlines and exceed expectations in a fast-paced environment.
  • You have a demonstrated record of working hard, being a trustworthy teammate, holding yourself and others to high standards, and being kind to others.

Preferred qualifications:

  • Experience with UAVs or other autonomous systems.
  • Experience with C++ 11 or newer.
  • Experience with international interoperability standards like STANAG4586.
  • Familiarity with cloud-based software architectures and IoT platforms.
  • Knowledge of cybersecurity principles and practices in software development.