Senior Engineering Manager, Autonomy & Perception (R3035)

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 a senior 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 one or more core perception technologies, such as state estimation, object detection, classification, tracking, and sensor fusion, will be instrumental in driving this mission forward. 

As a people manager, you will lead a high-performing team of multi-skilled autonomy developers, where you’ll: 

-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. 

As a senior 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 one or more core perception technologies, such as state estimation, object detection, classification, tracking, and sensor fusion, will be instrumental in driving this mission forward. 

As a people manager, you will lead a high-performing team of multi-skilled autonomy developers, where you’ll: 

-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. 

#LE

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 based positions (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. 

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.