Embedded Software Engineer at Shield AI in Boston, MA, US

Job description

• Application
• Embedded Software Engineer
• Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Our products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With a global presence, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai and follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
• As an Embedded Software Engineer at Shield AI, you will develop, deploy, and optimize embedded software for advanced autonomous systems operating in real-world environments. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver robust, scalable solutions that push the boundaries of intelligent systems for defense and security applications.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, test, and optimize embedded software for real-time autonomous systems on resource-constrained hardware platforms
• Build reliable, maintainable, and high-performance code, primarily in C/C++
• Develop comprehensive tests and evaluate performance in simulation and on hardware
• Diagnose and debug complex embedded software issues, including concurrency and integration problems
• Work closely with hardware, autonomy, and robotics teams to ensure seamless end-to-end system integration
• Contribute to system and software architecture design, technical documentation, and code reviews
• Take new features from ideation through verification, refinement, and deployment into active field operations
• Stay current with the latest advancements in embedded systems, autonomy, and robotics

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
• Strong professional experience developing and debugging embedded software in C/C++
• Experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) or embedded Linux
• Familiarity with embedded software for robotics, autonomous systems, or safety-critical applications
• Strong understanding of software engineering best practices, including testing, debugging, version control, and maintainable design
• Experience developing and debugging software on Linux
• Ability to communicate technical decisions and collaborate effectively across disciplines
• Experience with microcontrollers, SoCs, FPGA-based systems or sensor integration
• Experience in safety-critical or fielded embedded software for autonomy, robotics, or aerospace platforms
• Understanding of connectivity protocols (e.g., UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, Ethernet)
• Experience in system-level validation: software- or hardware-in-the-loop simulation or direct field testing
• Contributions to open-source embedded projects or relevant applied research

Skills

Required

• C/C++
• Real-time operating systems (RTOS)
• Embedded Linux
• Linux development and debugging

Preferred

• Microcontrollers
• SoCs
• FPGA-based systems
• Sensor integration
• Open-source embedded projects

Benefits

• Competitive pay + Bonus + Equity
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
• Generous paid time off and parental leave
• Learning and development resources
• Flexible work environment
• Salary compensation is influenced by a broad range of factors, including skill set, experience, certifications, and work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and potential reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits; please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.