Senior Engineer, System Integration Test (R6086)

San Diego · Washington, D.C. · USD 110,000-170,000 / year · 3+ years experience · Onsite · Posted Sep 24, 2026

At a glance

The Senior Engineer, System Integration Test will integrate and verify Hivemind mission autonomy software directly on Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP) flight hardware.
This role serves as a technical bridge between autonomy algorithms and physical aircraft systems, working across Shield AI and platform vendors to validate performance and resolve integration issues.
The position involves driving integration across Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) environments to ensure system readiness for flight testing.

Deploy, integrate, and verify Hivemind mission autonomy software with actual ACP software and hardware in SIL and HIL labs.
Develop detailed integration test plans, test cards, schedules, and objective success criteria across lab, ground, and flight test phases.
Identify architectural, interface, protocol, timing, and hardware/software gaps and formulate gap-closure plans.
Partner with aircraft OEMs and platform vendors to coordinate lab readiness and co-execute joint integration campaigns.
Execute integration tests, configure test benches, and lead real-time troubleshooting of multi-system anomalies.
Coordinate across engineering teams to design and build test automation and simulation scripts.
Enforce empirical test entry/exit criteria to gate delivery to aircraft ground and flight test.
Support flight test preparation, configuration validation, real-time troubleshooting, and post-flight data analysis.
Support travel to test sites, customer events, and integration activities as required.

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Computer, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, or related technical field with 5+ years of experience, or Master's degree with 3+ years of experience.
Demonstrated experience in system integration and test, including SIL, HIL, simulation, and flight test environments.
Proven ability to author clear, comprehensive integration test plans, procedures, and test cards.
Strong experience troubleshooting complex system interfaces using telemetry, logs, packet capture tools, or hardware diagnostic equipment.
Proficiency with Linux operating systems and scripting languages (Python preferred).
Highly organized with the ability to track dependencies and coordinate work across distributed teams.
Willingness and ability to travel periodically to platform vendor facilities and flight test locations.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD SECRET security clearance.
U.S. citizenship required.

Experience with Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP), Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), UAS (Group 4/5), or military aircraft mission systems.
Experience working directly inside aircraft manufacturer or defense prime contractor integration labs.
Familiarity with open systems architectures such as Open Mission Systems (OMS), Universal Command and Control Interface (UCI), and Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA).
Experience with inter-process communication and messaging middleware (e.g., DDS, ROS/ROS2, ZeroMQ, gRPC).
Understanding of airworthiness processes, safety-of-flight standards, or software assurance guidelines (e.g., DO-178C, DO-254, MIL-STD-882E).
Active DoD SECRET or TOP SECRET clearance.

Role requires periodic travel to platform vendor facilities and flight test locations.
Work involves collaboration in both internal laboratories and on-site at platform vendor integration facilities.

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