T
Talent@ Beta
Shield AI

Ground Control Station (GCS) Software Engineer (R3963)

Shield AI · Series F · Website

Role Details

Location
Dallas, Texas
Salary (est. USD)
~$100K - $160K (est. USD)

Estimated based on role seniority, company stage (Series F), and industry benchmarks. Actual compensation may vary.

How is this calculated?
Seniority band Mid-level
Base range $100K – $160K

Based on Web3 & AI industry compensation data. Seniority is inferred from role title keywords. Company stage affects ranges: early-stage (−15%), late-stage/public (+10%).

Department
V-BAT Engineering - Software
Type
Full-time
Vertical
Robotics

Job Description

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the 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:
We’re looking for a Software Engineer to join our team developing next-generation Ground Control Station (GCS) applications for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). This role is ideal for engineers with a strong foundation in real-time, performance-sensitive software who also bring experience with modern web technologies. 
 
You’ll work on mission-critical software that bridges responsive user interfaces with robust backend systems, enabling human operators to plan, command, and monitor autonomous assets with precision and reliability. 

What you'll do:

  • Design, develop, and optimize ground control software that enables low-latency communication with UAVs and other autonomous platforms. 
  • Build high-performance client and server applications that support telemetry processing, mission planning, and real-time control. 
  • Implement responsive user interfaces with React and TypeScript for operator workflows and visualization of spatial data, sensor feeds, and mission state. 
  • Collaborate closely with teams across autonomy, embedded systems, backend, and UX to deliver integrated, field-ready solutions. 
  • Contribute to architectural decisions and system designs that ensure responsiveness, scalability, and fault-tolerance. 
  • Lead development efforts on key features or subsystems, from early design through deployment and iteration. 
  • Write high-quality, well-tested code and participate in peer design/code reviews. 
  • Required qualifications:

  • Senior: Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of relevant experience, or Masters with 4+ years, or PhD with 2+ years.
  • Staff: Bachelor’s degree with 7+ years of relevant experience, or Masters with 6+ years, or PhD with 4+ years.
  • Senior Staff: Bachelor’s degree with 10+ years of relevant experience, or Masters with 9+ years, or PhD with 7+ years.
  • Demonstrated experience building real-time or performance-sensitive applications—preferably for UAVs, robotics, autonomous vehicles, or simulation environments. 
  • Proficiency in a strongly typed programming language (e.g. C#, TypeScript, Java, C++) with exposure to lower-level systems or protocol integration. 
  • Experience with web technologies, especially React, TypeScript/JavaScript, and Node.js.
  • Strong software engineering fundamentals including version control, testing, debugging, and performance profiling. 
  • Proven ability to deliver high-quality software as part of a collaborative engineering team. 
  • Preferred qualifications:

  • Experience with GCS software, mission planning tools, or real-time visualization platforms. 
  • Familiarity with API-driven systems using REST or gRPC, and communication protocols like WebSocket or custom telemetry formats. 
  • Knowledge of standards such as STANAG 4586, Cursor on Target (CoT), or MAVLink. 
  • Familiarity with containerized environments (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) and CI/CD practices. 
  • Exposure to distributed systems and cloud integration for telemetry data pipelines. 
  • Understanding of security best practices in control systems and networked applications. 
  • #LI-AA1
    #LC

    Full-time regular employee offer package:
    Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

    Temporary employee offer package:
    Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

    Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors incl

    About Shield AI

    Defense AI company building the world's best AI pilot for autonomous drones and fighter jets.

    View company profile

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