Software Engineer Jobs at Shield AI with Visa Sponsorship
Software Engineer jobs at Shield AI involve building autonomous systems for defense and national security, spanning embedded systems, AI/ML pipelines, and autonomy stacks. The company has sponsored work visas for engineering talent across multiple visa categories, making it a viable target if you're building a career in aerospace and defense software.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
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.
JOB DESCRIPTION
We’re looking for a software engineer to develop internal tools that directly accelerate the development of some of the most cutting-edge aircraft in the defense industry. In this role, you’ll partner closely with engineers across disciplines to design, build, and support a wide range of tooling — from lightweight automation scripts and macros to more robust frameworks and platforms. These solutions will be deeply embedded in daily workflows and represent some of the highest-impact software at the company, enabling teams to move faster, make better decisions, and bring advanced capabilities to life more efficiently.
What you'll do:
- Own software development from design through deployment for a range of internal tools, as an independent developer operating within a broader organization.
- Integrate diverse engineering systems, including electronic design automation, computer-aided design, and product lifecycle management tools.
- Embed with teams such as electrical engineering and production automation to incubate new projects and develop elegant solutions to difficult problems.
- Use databases, scripts, services, and application packaging to deploy software across multiple platforms.
- Improve existing frameworks and tools by adding features, fixing bugs, and enhancing maintainability.
- Use AI assisted tools and workflows to accelerate development.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of software development experience.
- Proficiency in Python, C++, JavaScript, and SQL.
- Experience designing, building, and supporting internal tools used by engineering, manufacturing, or operations teams.
- Experience with database schema design and analysis.
- Experience building automated package build and deployment pipelines (CI/CD).
- Experience with containerization technologies (Docker).
- Experience with cloud platforms (Azure, GCP, AWS).
COMPENSATION
- Salary Range: $120,000 - $190,000 a year
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.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
INTRODUCTION
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.
JOB DESCRIPTION
We’re looking for a software engineer to develop internal tools that directly accelerate the development of some of the most cutting-edge aircraft in the defense industry. In this role, you’ll partner closely with engineers across disciplines to design, build, and support a wide range of tooling — from lightweight automation scripts and macros to more robust frameworks and platforms. These solutions will be deeply embedded in daily workflows and represent some of the highest-impact software at the company, enabling teams to move faster, make better decisions, and bring advanced capabilities to life more efficiently.
What you'll do:
- Own software development from design through deployment for a range of internal tools, as an independent developer operating within a broader organization.
- Integrate diverse engineering systems, including electronic design automation, computer-aided design, and product lifecycle management tools.
- Embed with teams such as electrical engineering and production automation to incubate new projects and develop elegant solutions to difficult problems.
- Use databases, scripts, services, and application packaging to deploy software across multiple platforms.
- Improve existing frameworks and tools by adding features, fixing bugs, and enhancing maintainability.
- Use AI assisted tools and workflows to accelerate development.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of software development experience.
- Proficiency in Python, C++, JavaScript, and SQL.
- Experience designing, building, and supporting internal tools used by engineering, manufacturing, or operations teams.
- Experience with database schema design and analysis.
- Experience building automated package build and deployment pipelines (CI/CD).
- Experience with containerization technologies (Docker).
- Experience with cloud platforms (Azure, GCP, AWS).
COMPENSATION
- Salary Range: $120,000 - $190,000 a year
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.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
See all Software Engineer Jobs at Shield AI
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Software Engineer Jobs at Shield AI
Build clearance-ready credentials before applying
Shield AI's defense contracts often require engineers to obtain a U.S. security clearance. Prioritizing roles that don't mandate active clearance on day one gives visa holders a realistic entry point while you build your tenure.
Target autonomy and AI engineering teams specifically
Shield AI's core product lines center on autonomous flight and AI-driven decision systems. Aligning your resume and portfolio to computer vision, reinforcement learning, or embedded autonomy increases your relevance to their highest-priority hiring areas.
Search visa-sponsoring defense employers on Migrate Mate
Filter by aerospace and defense employers with a Software Engineer sponsorship history on Migrate Mate to identify roles where Shield AI is actively hiring international candidates, before the positions age out or close.
Clarify your OPT or CPT timeline during screening
F-1 students have a finite authorization window. During initial recruiter calls, confirm whether the role's projected start date aligns with your OPT start, since defense hiring cycles often run longer than typical software companies.
Understand PERM timing for permanent residence pathways
EB-2 and EB-3 PERM sponsorship requires DOL labor market testing, which can take a year or more before USCIS ever sees a petition. Ask during the offer stage whether Shield AI initiates PERM early in employment or only after a tenure threshold.
Verify E-Verify enrollment before accepting an offer
Federal contractors like Shield AI are legally required to use E-Verify for employment eligibility verification. Confirming this before your start date means your work authorization documentation needs to be airtight and consistent across all forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Shield AI sponsor H-1B visas for Software Engineers?
Shield AI does not appear in H-1B visa sponsorship records as a common filer for Software Engineers based on publicly available DOL disclosure data. Their sponsored visa types for this function have included EB-2, EB-3, F-1 OPT, F-1 CPT, TN visa, and J-1 visa. If H-1B visa sponsorship is your primary pathway, clarify this directly with their recruiting team during the offer process, since sponsorship decisions can also depend on business unit and role classification.
How do I apply for Software Engineer jobs at Shield AI?
Applications go through Shield AI's careers portal, where Software Engineer roles are listed by team and location. Many roles specify clearance eligibility requirements upfront, so filter accordingly if you're on a nonimmigrant visa. You can also browse Shield AI's open Software Engineer positions on Migrate Mate, which surfaces roles where the company has a sponsorship history, helping you prioritize applications more strategically.
Which visa types does Shield AI commonly sponsor for Software Engineers?
Shield AI's sponsorship activity for Software Engineers has included F-1 OPT and CPT for students in STEM fields, TN visas for Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying engineering classifications, J-1 for research or training-track roles, and EB-2 and EB-3 for permanent residence. Each pathway has different employer obligations and timelines, so it's worth identifying which category fits your situation before you reach the offer stage.
What qualifications does Shield AI expect for Software Engineer roles?
Shield AI's Software Engineer postings typically require proficiency in C++ or Python, with many roles specifying experience in robotics frameworks, real-time systems, or machine learning infrastructure. Defense-sector work often adds an expectation that candidates are either already cleared or eligible to obtain a U.S. security clearance, which generally requires lawful permanent residence or citizenship. International candidates on nonimmigrant visas are most competitive for roles that don't list active clearance as a hard requirement.
How do I navigate the hiring timeline at Shield AI as a visa holder?
Defense company hiring cycles tend to run longer than commercial software firms, often six to twelve weeks from application to offer. If you're on F-1 OPT, factor in your authorization end date and the three-month STEM OPT extension window. USCIS H-1B cap filing happens once a year in March for an October 1 start, so if your OPT expires before then, you'll need either a cap-exempt pathway or a bridge strategy to maintain status through the transition.