Staff Engineer, Software, GCS - C++ (R5189)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. The Staff Engineer will focus on building Ground Control Station software and advanced mission planners, while also mentoring mid-level engineers and collaborating across teams to ensure the successful development and deployment of command and control systems.

Responsibilities:

• Develop & Field GCS/C2 Software — Design, develop, and optimize high-performance, responsive GCS software and C2 applications, focusing on map-centric mission planning, real-time command & control, video streaming, and telemetry visualization. Customize and extend QGroundControl (QGC) or related Qt/C++ frameworks to support custom vehicle protocols and multi-agent operations
• Technical Leadership — Own technical direction for major GCS features and systems; architect UI/UX layouts, design robust client/server interfaces, and lead technical decision-making within your project area
• Collaboration Across Teams — Act as a primary technical interface with the Autonomy Capabilities team, Perception team, flight operations, and external partners (platform integrators, C2 providers, and vehicle vendors); author and negotiate APIs, ICDs, and interface contracts rather than just consume them
• Mentorship & Growth — Mentor mid-level engineers on the team; partner with managers on onboarding, leveling, and growth planning. Formally onboard senior new hires
• Design, UX, & Documentation — Drive design reviews, UI/UX prototyping, and ICD definition; champion rigorous coding standards, unit/integration testing, and developer/operator documentation to close process gaps that span teams
• Pre-deployment Preparation — Own the build, configuration, and validation process for mission-ready ground stations; coordinate hardware/software compatibility, UI/UX readiness, and release cadence with capability and feature teams
• On-site Test & Mission Support — Travel to test sites and support live mission operations (flight tests, range exercises, on-water trials, integration events), working closely with operators and pilots to gather feedback, debug live C2 systems, and troubleshoot interfaces under time-critical field constraints
• Hardware/Software Debugging — Diagnose and resolve integration issues across complex GCS/C2 stacks, radio links, payload controls, and telemetry streams — including UI responsiveness bottlenecks, memory leaks, and network latency profiling under operationally-representative loads
• Mission Data & Debrief Support — Architect and implement post-mission debrief utilities and telemetry analysis tools that parse, play back, and visualize telemetry, logs, and payload data for rapid post-mission analysis and issue reproduction
• Continuous Improvement — Build tools and automation scripts to improve C2 deployment pipelines, test/mission reliability, and simulation-based operator testing
• C2 Interoperability & Standards — Own compliance and integration with command-and-control standards and architectures (e.g., A-GRA, UCI, OMS, STANAG 4586, MAVLink)
• Hiring — Interview candidates, help define the skills bar for open roles in your area, and onboard new engineers into your sub-program
• Travel Requirement — Members of this team typically travel around 10-20% of the year (to support field integration, customer demonstrations, or test events)

Requirements:

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
• Typically requires a 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
• Strong proficiency in C++, with experience developing complex, multi-threaded, or latency-sensitive desktop applications
• Experience building responsive user interfaces using Qt/QML (or similar modern UI frameworks)
• Hands-on experience customizing, extending, or building with QGroundControl (QGC) or similar open-source/proprietary ground station software
• Experience full-stack or building backend in C/C++, Python, TypeScript, or Go, including service orchestration, command/status interfaces, and data pipelines between UI, ground services, and vehicle-side components
• Deep familiarity with networked and distributed systems, including UDP/TCP transport, custom binary protocols, reliable messaging, pub-sub/IPC middleware, and serialization/IDL tooling
• Experience using AI-assisted development tools to accelerate software design, implementation, debugging, testing, and code review while maintaining strong engineering judgment, validation discipline, and ownership of final technical decisions
• Demonstrated experience owning a major software capability or system from architecture through field delivery
• Track record of mentoring engineers and growing technical talent
• Experience authoring or negotiating interface contracts, schemas, or ICDs with internal or external stakeholders
• Strong debugging and profiling skills, including diagnosing memory leaks, UI responsiveness bottlenecks, and network latency issues
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), map rendering engines (e.g., Mapbox, Cesium, Esri, QGC Map Engine), and 2D/3D spatial data visualization
• Familiarity with video streaming protocols and multimedia frameworks (e.g., RTSP, WebRTC, GStreamer, H.264/H.265 video codecs)
• Experience developing post-mission telemetry analysis, log parsing, or interactive playback/debrief systems
• Familiarity with containerization (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) and deploying C2 services to local, edge, or cloud environments
• Experience with platform control / autopilot protocols (e.g., MAVLink, STANAG 4586) or DoD C2 standards (e.g., A-GRA, UCI, OMS)
• Experience working closely with flight operators, pilots, or military stakeholders to gather feedback and refine user workflows
• Active Secret or Top Secret clearance