Senior Principal Autonomy Engineer (R6162)

AI in this role

Lead technical strategy and architecture for advanced autonomy and perception capabilities in complex systems.

autonomysignal-processingsensor-fusionsystems-architecturerobotics

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.

Job Description:

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Principal Autonomy Engineer to define and lead the technical strategy, architecture, development, integration, and fielding of advanced autonomy capabilities for high performance systems. This role will focus on the sensing, perception, decision, guidance, and control functions that enable reliable operation in complex, contested, and dynamically changing environments.

The Senior Principal Autonomy Engineer will serve as a technical authority for autonomy architectures that incorporate advanced RF sensing, signal processing, electronic protection, state estimation, sensor fusion, guidance, navigation, and end to end vehicle simulation. This individual will shape multi year technical roadmaps, solve the organization’s most complex autonomy and RF performance challenges, and connect algorithm development with embedded implementation, hardware integration, simulation, test, and operational deployment.

The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in radar and RF signal processing with demonstrated leadership in autonomous system development. They bring a record of taking algorithms from early concept through requirements, design reviews, high fidelity modeling, hardware integration, test, and fielded capability, while building and mentoring strong technical teams.

How we rate this

Senior Principal Autonomy Engineer (R6162) at Shield AI rates 90 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Open the description and count.

Key facts

Senior Principal Autonomy Engineer (R6162) is an open job at Shield AI.
Level rates this role AI Level 4 of 4: Builds AI.
The listed salary is $330k-$500k a year.
The role is based in Remote and is marked remote.
The job was posted on October 3, 2026.
Seniority: lead.
Applications are handled by Shield AI. Apply on Shield AI

Prepare for this job

A free preview built only from this posting: what it asks for, what you could be asked in an interview, and how to adjust your resume.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

AutonomySignal ProcessingSensor FusionSystems ArchitectureRobotics

Questions you could be asked

Tell me about a project where autonomy was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where signal processing was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where sensor fusion was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where systems architecture was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where robotics was part of your work. What did you do?

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: Autonomy, Signal Processing, Sensor Fusion, Systems Architecture, and Robotics. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them — a tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
Lead with what you built, trained or shipped — this role is judged on the AI system itself, not the tools around it.

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