Software Engineering Manager, Test - Shield AI

Job Title: Software Engineering Manager, Test
Job Location: San Diego Metro Area
Job Listing URL: https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai/7f77368d-d64c-4305-874f-ec2138660d5e
Job Description: Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn,X, YouTubeand Instagram.

Are you a passionate and innovative engineer looking to help develop state-of-the-art AI and robotics products? Are you eager to make a positive difference in the world? Do you want to work alongside mission driven and values focused teammates? Shield AI is just the place for you!

The Hivemind Test team is on a mission to build a complete and robust testing infrastructure that supports the development and integration of the world’s best AI pilot. Our team is critical to ensuring the quality, reliability, and performance of the Hivemind ecosystem, which spans autonomy behaviors, embedded systems, test frameworks, and beyond.
We are seeking an experienced and technically adept Engineering Manager to lead this multi-disciplinary team. This individual will be responsible for driving strategy and execution across software development, test automation, and systems integration. The ideal candidate brings strong leadership skills, deep technical knowledge, and a proven ability to build and mentor high-performing engineering teams in complex, cross-functional environments.
What You'll Do:
Lead and grow a cross-functional team of software engineers, test engineers, and roboticists to deliver world-class test infrastructure for the Hivemind autonomy platform.
Own the roadmap and execution for test software, hardware-in-the-loop systems, and automation frameworks that validate critical mission software.
Establish and enforce high engineering standards for software architecture, code quality, testing practices, and documentation.
Collaborate with autonomy, hardware, and platform teams to define requirements, manage priorities, and ensure the successful integration and validation of software systems.
Guide technical direction for the team, making architectural and process decisions to scale automation, simulation, and test operations.
Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement, driving excellence in both individual and team performance.
Represent the Test team in strategic planning meetings, cross-team reviews, and technical deep-dives, including with senior leadership and external stakeholders.
Mentor and develop engineers through regular feedback, coaching, and career development support.
Required Qualifications:
8+ years of experience in software engineering, test infrastructure, or robotics systems, including at least 2 years of technical leadership or engineering management.
Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.
Deep expertise in modern software development practices, including test automation, CI/CD, and system integration.
Proficiency in Python and/or C++, with a strong foundation in system design and software architecture.
Demonstrated success leading teams building complex, hardware-integrated software systems.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence across organizational boundaries.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience working with hardware-in-the-loop testing or embedded systems.
Familiarity with ROS and robotic simulation environments.
Strong background in operating systems, networking, or radio communications.
Experience in high-growth or mission-critical technology environments (e.g., aerospace, defense, robotics).
Passion for building infrastructure that ensures system-level performance and reliability at scale.