Manager, Software - Perception (R3770)
Shield AI · On-site
MeritLog read this listing from Shield AI's Lever job board and last checked it on September 9, 2026.
Source: the employer's Lever job board. Open the original listing for current details.
Job details
- Work model
- On-site
- Salary
- $220,441 - $330,661
- Location
- Washington, DC; San Diego, California; Dallas, Texas; Boston, MA
Hiring context
How this role compares at Shield AI
Shield AI has 480 live roles in MeritLog’s catalog across 12 job families, and 375 of them are in engineering. 376 of those listings publish a pay range, a disclosure rate of 78%.
This role's posted range of $220,441 - $330,661 sits above 90% of the 355 other Shield AI roles quoted over the same currency and period.
Shield AI concentrates this hiring in:
Counted across the job boards MeritLog tracks, at the time this page was served. Pay comparisons use only listings that publish a complete range in the same currency and period.
Job description
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. This position is ideal for an individual who thrives on building advanced perception systems that enable autonomous aircraft to operate effectively in complex and contested environments. A successful candidate will be skilled in developing real-time object detection, sensor fusion, and state estimation algorithms using data from diverse mission sensors such as EO/IR cameras, radars, and IMUs. The role requires strong algorithmic thinking, deep familiarity with airborne sensing systems, and the ability to deliver performant software in simulation and real-world conditions. We are seeking a skilled and motivated manager to lead technical teams and support direct projects integrating perception solutions for defense platforms. Shield AI is committed to developing cutting-edge autonomy for unmanned aircraft operating across all Department of Defense (DoD) domains, including air, sea, and land. Our Perception Engineers are instrumental in creating the situational awareness that underpins autonomy, ensuring our systems understand and respond to the operational environment with speed, precision, and resilience.