Senior Manager, Software Test and Automation (R6080)

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

• As the Senior Manager of Software Test, you will lead the verification and validation of autonomy, mission-oriented, avionics software for Shield AI’s next-gen aircraft systems.
• These platforms demand the highest levels of system integrity, operational reliability, and test rigor.
• Your role will center around designing scalable, automated test infrastructure, validating mission-critical behaviors across simulation and real aircraft environments, and enabling rapid, safe deployment of software to flight operations.
• You’ll partner closely with engineering, product, and flight test teams to ensure the system is testable, traceable, and always ready for mission.
• This role focuses on accelerating software maturity and validation through rigorous, automated, and traceable testing practices for the VBAT platform

What you'll do

• Build a world class software and system test infrastructure for rapid software deployments Own end-to-end system test strategy for software-in-the-loop (SIL), hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), and vehicle-in-the-loop (VIL) environments—scaling them for continuous integration and rapid release cycles.
• Design and implement mission-critical system test cases validating autonomous behaviors, requirements compliance, and operational edge cases across nominal, safety-critical, and degraded conditions.
• Coordinate and execute flight test and software release campaigns, working cross-functionally with autonomy, embedded systems, flight ops, and safety engineering teams.
• Required qualifications: BS or MS in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or related field 8+ years of experience in software testing, systems testing, or verification & validation for complex, safety-critical or mission-critical systems (autonomy, aerospace, defense, robotics, UAVs, etc.) 3+ years of experience leading teams, including some experience managing other managers Strong proficiency in test automation, scripting, data analysis, and test infrastructure development Hands-on experience building and maintaining automated test frameworks (SIL, HIL, VIL, CI/CD pipelines) Experience validating autonomous behaviors or distributed real-time systems Deep understanding of software verification methodologies, including requirements traceability, test planning, and regression testing Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testbeds, embedded systems, or avionics integration Ability to design system-level test cases including edge cases, degraded modes, and safety-critical scenarios Strong ability to work cross-functionally with autonomy, avionics, embedded, and flight ops teams Excellent communication and documentation skills, especially around test plans, procedures, and safety considerations Preferred qualifications: Experience testing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), rotorcraft, or airborne mission systems Knowledge of DO-178C, MIL-STD-882, STANAG, or other safety/airworthiness frameworks Experience with simulation tools (Gazebo, Isaac, ROS/ROS2 simulation, custom autonomy sims, etc.) Experience with continuous integration systems (Jenkins, GitLab CI, Buildkite, etc.) Knowledge of autonomy algorithms (navigation, planning, perception) sufficient to design adversarial or mission-based test scenarios Comfort operating in dynamic R&D environments where rapid iteration and tight feedback loops are the norm #LI-AA1 #LE 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 including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location.
• All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.
• Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits.
• Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
• ### Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.
• We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.
• If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.