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Staff Engineer, Aircraft Trajectory Modeling (R5787)

Shield AI· Hivemind Enterprise Division – Engineering
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San Diego, CA$200k - $300kFull Time EmployeePosted 3w ago

About the role

Senior staff engineer leading applied trajectory prediction and aircraft-response modeling for a real-time Run-Time Assurance safety product within Shield AI's Hivemind Foundations team; focuses on trajectory prediction algorithms, validation, and integration with autopilot/flight-control systems for aircraft and multi-agent concepts.

Responsibilities

  • Lead development, tuning, and validation of TPA and recovery-behavior models using aircraft performance data, command-response assumptions, 3DOF/6DOF flyout concepts, wind effects, uncertainty bounds, and maneuver constraints.
  • Build Python-based analysis, simulation, HIL, and flight-test workflows to compare predicted versus observed aircraft behavior, identify model gaps, tune parameters, and maintain regression datasets.
  • Integrate and evaluate trajectory-prediction behavior through off-the-shelf or custom autopilot interfaces, including command modes, vehicle-state inputs, latency, mode transitions, control limits, and telemetry analysis.
  • Support hardware integration and flight-test campaigns across relevant platforms; help evolve trajectory-prediction and safety behaviors from single-aircraft use cases toward multi-agent collaborative CONOPS; produce algorithm handoff artifacts and contribute scoped C/C++ implementation, testing, and debugging as needed.

Qualifications

  • Typically requires a minimum of 7 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years with a Master’s degree; or 4 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience.
  • Deep experience in trajectory prediction, aircraft-response modeling, aerospace simulation, robotics, applied autonomy, or GNC-adjacent domains, including 3DOF and/or 6DOF aircraft modeling concepts.
  • Expert-level Python skills for algorithm development, numerical analysis, data processing, plotting, tuning workflows, and test automation.
  • Working proficiency in C or C++, with the ability to read production code, debug algorithm behavior, write tests, make scoped implementation changes, and guide software engineers through algorithm intent.
  • Demonstrated experience interfacing guidance, trajectory, or safety-critical algorithms with off-the-shelf or custom autopilots and validating behavior through simulation, HIL, flight hardware, or flight-test data.
  • Ability to document model assumptions, handoff artifacts, and validation evidence while leading technical coordination across algorithms, software, systems, test, and platform teams.

Skills

Required:Trajectory predictionPythonC/C++

Benefits

  • Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
  • Salary compensation is influenced by skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location.
  • All offers contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.
Last updated Oct 23, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

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