Software Engineer, Networking & OS (R5488)

As a Software Engineer (Networking & OS) on V-BAT, you will be instrumental in designing, implementing, and optimizing the network infrastructure for our Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) which is deployed in some of the most challenging environments worldwide. V-BAT is designed to operate in contested, GNSS-denied airspace, and our network must maintain highly reliable, secure, and efficient communication between all air and ground devices.

What you’ll do:

• Design and build custom, resilient Layer 2 / Layer 3 network topologies optimized specifically for V-BAT mission profiles, focusing on device isolation, dynamic traffic management, and transmitting traffic across multiple links.

• Implement networking features directly on embedded Linux operating systems, including custom routing, TUN/TAP interfaces, user-space tunnels, and socket-level applications.

• Work backward from operator capabilities to build bandwidth-optimized, low-latency communication paths over lossy or constrained radio and satellite links.

• Write clean, production-grade C, C++, or Python code to build things like software-defined network interfaces, traffic shaping policies, and link failover mechanisms.

• Partner with software engineers, hardware engineers, and field operators to validate end-to-end network performance in both hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) labs and flight test environments.

• Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of relevant experience, or Master’s with 4+ years, or PhD with 2+ years.

• Strong proficiency writing software in C, C++, or Python in a Linux environment, with a track record of shipping software that interacts directly with the OS networking stack.

• Deep understanding of Linux networking fundamentals (netlink, IP route/tables, iptables/nftables, TUN/TAP interfaces, Linux network namespaces, and socket programming).

• Solid grasp of Layer 2 and Layer 3 network fundamentals, custom routing protocols, VLAN tagging, QoS/traffic management, and VPN/tunneling mechanisms (e.g., OpenVPN, GRE, IPsec, or custom user-space tunnels).

• Practical experience troubleshooting network degradation using low-level tools (e.g., tcpdump, wireshark, iproute2, iperf) in lossy, high-latency, or bandwidth-constrained environments.

• Proven track record of successfully shipping products, showcasing the ability to navigate through development cycles, overcome obstacles, and deliver high-quality solutions to meet project deadlines and exceed expectations in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to obtain security clearance.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience developing embedded Linux networking applications using build systems like Yocto or OS-level customization tools.

• Experience working with RF and other hardware engineers to design network protocols and topologies which are tailored for a novel radio network design.

• Experience architecting network solutions for robotics, autonomous vehicles, aerospace, or edge computing hardware.

• Familiarity with network security, public key infrastructure (PKI), and cryptographic tunnels in embedded systems.

Job Description 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.