Forward Deployed Engineer, Autonomy (open level)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Our Applications Engineers are highly technical, customer-facing problem solvers who play a critical role in deploying Shield AI’s Hivemind software in real-world environments. This role is travel-intensive, with frequent trips, often international, and sometimes lasting multiple weeks, to work directly alongside customers on-site.

This is primarily a Senior-level role, and we’re typically looking for candidates with several years of relevant industry experience. That said, we will consider exceptional mid-level engineers who demonstrate strong technical fundamentals, a hands-on mindset, and a track record of taking initiative in dynamic, customer-driven environments

In this role, you will work closely with customers to understand their requirements, provide technical expertise during deployment, and ensure successful integration of our AI and autonomy products. You’ll also collaborate internally with engineering teams, with opportunities to grow into technical leadership over time.

You Should Apply If:

You’re excited about a travel-heavy role and enjoy being on-site with customers, including international and multi-week engagements

You’re a strong technical contributor (or early in your career and eager to grow) who takes initiative and figures things out

You enjoy problem solving, building relationships, and working at the intersection of engineering and real-world deployment

You’re passionate about autonomy, robotics, or aerospace

You Should Not Apply If:

You prefer minimal travel or want to work primarily from a single location

You want to do 100% R&D and don’t enjoy customer interactions

You’ve never programmed in C, C++, or Rust