Embedded Software Engineer (Vision)

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology 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 offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Boston, Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, YouTube and Instagram.

We’re looking for an Embedded Software Engineer to join our team in Port Melbourne and help develop high-performance optical processing solutions on NVIDIA Jetson platforms. Sitting at the crossroads of embedded systems, computer vision, and optical engineering, this role is perfect for someone excited to push the limits of edge-based AI systems.

You’ll work with industry experts across AI, imaging, and hardware, building low-latency software pipelines to manage complex data from advanced optical sensors in mission-critical environments.

What You'll Do:

• Design and develop embedded software for optical systems using NVIDIA Jetson platforms.
• Build mission system applications and calibration/maintenance tools.
• Integrate RGB, NIR, thermal, and hyperspectral sensors via MIPI CSI, ethernet, or GMSL.
• Interface with image signal processors (ISPs) and configure image tuning pipelines.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to ensure synchronisation, timing, and signal integrity.
• Build and optimise calibration tools and synchronisation software.
• Profile and tune performance for frame rate, latency, and thermal efficiency in low-SWaP environments.
• Engage with key industry partners on integration and deployment.

What You'll Bring:

• Significant experience in embedded software development, particularly in imaging or optical systems.
• Proficiency in C++, with strong embedded development experience.
• Familiar with Linux, including NVIDIA-specific platforms (JetPack, L4T, etc.).
• Hands-on experience with camera sensor integration and optical tuning.
• Solid understanding of camera pipelines, calibration, and synchronisation.
• Knowledge of IoT and how embedded systems integrate into broader networks.

Bonus Points For:

• Experience in real-time image processing for aerospace, robotics, or defence applications.
• Familiarity with synchronising high-frame-rate or multi-camera systems.
• Understanding of lens calibration and optical modelling.
• Exposure to AI/ML inference on optical data (e.g., real-time classification or detection).
• Experience with RTOS or time-critical Linux environments.
• Familiarity with GMSL, sensor fusion, and high-speed acquisition pipelines.
• Experience with video tools such as FFmpeg and GStreamer.
• Previous Defence experience is highly desirable.

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.

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, colour, 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.