Software Engineering Manager, Hardware Test (X-BAT)
Shield AI· Defense tech· Sep 17, 2026 · 1mo ago
Seattle, Washington
In office
Full-time
Manager
$169K–$300K
5+ years exp
Job description
Opening from US - X-BAT with ITAR exposure, S/SAR Clearance
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 .
About Shield AI
Shield AI develops AI-powered autonomy software and aircraft systems that protect service members and civilians by enabling intelligent operations in contested environments. As part of the X-BAT program, you will help develop and validate next-generation autonomous aircraft and mission-critical hardware that must perform reliably in demanding operational conditions.
Job Description:
Shield AI is seeking a Software Engineering Manager to lead the X-BAT Hardware Test Software team. This team builds and sustains automated production test stands used to functionally test avionics and aircraft electrical assemblies.
You will lead software engineers developing test frameworks, station-control software, equipment interfaces, data collection, and automated pass/fail evaluation. Our systems interact with custom fixtures, instrumentation, embedded devices, FPGA-enabled hardware, and avionics units under test.
The ideal candidate has managed engineering teams and has personally built or led the development of automated hardware test systems used in production, manufacturing, qualification, or other high-consequence environments. You know what robust test automation looks like: safe operation, repeatable results, useful diagnostics, configuration control, traceability, maintainability, and a practical path from prototype to sustained production use.
What You'll do:
Lead, mentor, and grow a team of software engineers supporting X-BAT avionics production test.
Own the technical roadmap and execution for automated test stands, reusable test frameworks, station software, and test-data systems.
Build scalable Python-based software for test sequencing, instrument and fixture control, unit-under-test communication, measurement collection, pass/fail evaluation, and reporting.
Guide software architecture, code quality, configuration management, CI/CD, release processes, documentation, and operational support.
Partner closely with electrical engineers to translate avionics interfaces, functional requirements, and failure modes into automated test coverage.
Partner with mechanical engineers to ensure fixtures, cabling, connectors, serviceability, safety, and operator workflows support reliable production testing.
Work with FPGA and embedded-software teams to configure, communicate with, and validate FPGA-enabled avionics hardware.
Improve test coverage, station uptime, throughput, failure triage, test repeatability, and traceability.
Establish metrics and processes for regression health, station reliability, first-pass yield, retest rate, false failures, and recurring failure modes.
Support root-cause analysis across the unit under test, fixture, instrumentation, test software, embedded software, FPGA behavior, and electrical interfaces.
Required Qualifications:
5+ years of experience in software engineering, test automation, embedded systems, hardware-integrated software, manufacturing test, avionics, aerospace, robotics, automotive, industrial systems, or similar fields.
2+ years of direct people-management experience leading software, test, or hardware-integration engineers.
Demonstrated experience building, deploying, and sustaining automated functional-test systems for complex hardware.
Strong Python experience, particularly for automation frameworks, hardware communication, instrument control, data acquisition, and test orchestration.
Experience with C++ or C in embedded, systems, device-control, or hardware-facing applications.
Experience working directly with electrical hardware, test fixtures, instrumentation, and devices under test.
Familiarity with FPGA-enabled hardware and the ability to work effectively with FPGA engineers on system-level test and debug.
Familiarity with common interfaces and protocols such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, UDP, serial, CAN, SPI, I2C, USB, GPIO, PCIe, or JTAG.
Experience with Git, code review, automated testing, CI/CD, release management, and configuration control.
Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively across software, electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, and program teams.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience developing automated production test equipment for avionics, aerospace, defense, autonomous systems, robotics, or other mission-critical hardware.
Experience designing reusable test frameworks rather than only writing one-off test scripts.
Experience with programmable power supplies, electronic loads,, DAQ systems, digital I/O, network equipment, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, or custom test fixtures.
Experience with FPGA programming, bitstream management, register-level control, JTAG, board bring-up, or FPGA-adjacent debug.
Experience with embedded Linux, microcontrollers, board-support packages, device drivers, or real-time systems.
Experience with production traceability, serial-number tracking, test-result databases, calibration workflows, manufacturing systems, or quality systems.
Experience in a regulated, safety-critical, mission-critical, or configuration-controlled engineering environment.
Closing from US - X-BAT with ITAR exposure, S/SAR Clearance
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.
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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.
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