Embedded Engineering Spring 2026 Co-Op (Aircraft Division)

About Shieldai

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 aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With nine offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide.

Job Summary

Shield AI is seeking an exceptional Co-op candidate to join the team in building our autonomous aircraft. You will join a team of highly talented cross-functional engineers that exhibit a culture of mentorship, kindness, ownership, and hard work. The start date and duration of the Co-op are flexible.

Key Responsibilities

• You will be given ownership of a project that is tailored to the start date, duration, and location of your Co-op.
• You will be partnered with a senior engineer as mentor and guide for technical input and professional development.
• Develop high-quality C/C++ code.
• Participate in architecture, design, and code reviews.
• Integrate software from multiple departments to include firmware, software test and verification, Autonomy AI, and Ground Control Stations (GCS).
• Develop software systems to implement and integrate interfaces to modern avionics sensors, sub-systems, and payloads.
• Facilitate the design process for updates to the software system architecture.

Required Qualifications

• Typically requires a minimum of 2 years of coursework towards a degree in a related field (Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineer).
• Strong C/C++ background.
• Experience in bare-metal firmware development for embedded systems.
• Experience in a collaborative development environment, focused on continuous integration/delivery & unit testing to assure software quality.
• Familiarity with common version control (git) and build systems (CMake, or similar).
• Demonstrated record of working hard, strong communication skills, being a trustworthy teammate, and being kind to others.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working on cutting-edge autonomous robotic systems.
• Proven background in thriving within fast-paced environments, particularly within startup or R&D settings.