Considering a role at Shield AI? Our deep dive covers their 2025 valuation, funding, company culture, employee feedback, career opportunities, and Underdog.io's growth analysis for tech candidates.
1. The Shield AI Snapshot
Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company that builds state-of-the-art AI autonomy software and defense aircraft, enabling drones and other intelligent machines to operate independently in GPS- and communications-denied environments—a capability that is fundamentally reshaping modern defense and aerospace.
🚀 Company Snapshot
Industry
Defense Tech / AI Autonomy
Headquarters
San Diego, CA
Total Funding
~$1.4B (equity) + $200M debt
Last Valuation
~$5.6B (Dec 2025)
Data sourced from Crunchbase, PitchBook & company materials. Valuation is estimated.
2. Why Shield AI Stands Out: The Core Differentiator
Shield AI’s defensible moat isn’t just hardware; it’s Hivemind, an AI-powered autonomy developer platform that allows any drone or aircraft to perceive, plan, and act in complex, contested environments without GPS or comms links. While competitors build single-purpose drones, Shield AI sells the “autonomy stack” that can be integrated across platforms—a software‑first approach that scales across the defense industrial base. This paradigm shift, coupled with proven battlefield results (e.g., autonomous F‑16 flights, V‑BAT missions in Ukraine), gives Shield AI a rare combination of deep‑tech credibility and real‑world traction.
3. Tracking the Trajectory: Funding, Revenue & Valuation
Shield AI has raised over $1.4 billion in equity and $200 million in debt, reflecting intense investor confidence. The funding history shows a classic high‑growth trajectory:
- Seed (2015): $100k friends & family round.
- Series B (June 2022): $165M at a $2.3B valuation.
- Series C (October 2023): $200M at a $2.7B valuation.
- Series F‑1 (March 2025): $240M at a $5.3B valuation, led by L3Harris and Hanwha Asset Management.
- Extended Round (Dec 2025): An additional $300M, lifting the valuation to $5.6B.
Revenue & Growth: The company reported approximately $300M in revenue for the fiscal year ending March 2025. Leadership has publicly set a goal of 70‑100% annual growth to reach $1B in revenue by March 2028.
Ready to Build the Future of AI Autonomy?
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4. Inside the Engine Room: Company Culture & Employee Sentiment
Stated Culture: Shield AI’s leadership principles are “Earn Trust,” “Be Candid,” “Delight Our Customers,” and “Put The Team First”. The careers page emphasizes cross‑functional collaboration, a noble mission, and “extraordinary people”.
🏢 Culture & Sentiment at a Glance
👍 The Highlights
- Mission‑driven work: Employees feel they are directly contributing to national security and saving lives.
- Cutting‑edge technology: Working on frontier AI/autonomy problems that few other companies tackle.
- High agency & ownership: Engineers and product teams have significant responsibility and impact.
🤔 Points to Consider
- Fast‑paced, long hours: The startup‑defense environment demands intense dedication and can blur work‑life boundaries.
- Growing‑pain processes: As the company scales, some teams report evolving priorities and occasional communication gaps.
- High‑pressure context: Dealing with government contracts and safety‑critical systems adds inherent pressure.
Insight synthesized from stated company values and anonymous employee reviews on Glassdoor/Blind.
5. Building the Future: Career Opportunities & Impact
Open Roles (Representative Examples):
- Staff Applications Engineer, Autonomy
- Manager, Autonomy Applications Engineering
- Senior Engineering Manager, Power Electronics
- Principal Engineer, Full Stack Developer
- Senior Software Engineering Manager, Ground Systems
- Senior Engineer, Software – Perception
- Senior Manager, Marketing Strategy & Operations
Impact: Engineers at Shield AI own products from research to deployment, building foundational autonomy infrastructure that will scale across millions of autonomous systems. The work directly influences U.S. and allied military capabilities.
Benefits & Perks: Top‑tier medical coverage, mental‑health employee assistance program, paid parental leave, pet insurance, flexible work hours, gym discounts/free onsite gym, free parking, competitive compensation, 401k with match, and meaningful equity grants.
Current Technical & Product Openings at Shield AI
Below are active opportunities to join Shield AI's mission to build AI pilots for defense and security. Roles are organized by team and include location information.
| Position |
Team |
Location |
Apply |
| Engineering & Autonomy |
| Engineer, State Estimation |
Engineering |
Dallas, TX / San Diego, CA / San Francisco, CA / Washington, DC / Boston, MA |
Apply → |
| Autonomy Engineer |
Engineering |
Dallas, Texas / San Diego, California |
Apply → |
| Senior Systems Engineer |
Engineering |
San Diego, California |
Apply → |
Roles are sourced from Shield AI's careers page. Apply through Underdog.io to be considered for these types of roles at top startups. One application connects you with multiple companies.
6. Challenges on the Horizon
- Scaling the Software Motion: Transitioning from selling integrated drone systems to licensing Hivemind as a standalone platform to legacy defense primes requires a different go‑to‑market muscle.
- Safety & Regulatory Scrutiny: The 2024 V‑BAT accident (a Navy servicemember injury) temporarily grounded drones and delayed contracts, highlighting the inherent risks of physical autonomy and the intense regulatory oversight in defense.
- Competition with Anduril: Anduril’s broader hardware‑focused approach and earlier $1B+ revenue create a competitive landscape for talent, contracts, and investor attention.
7. Industry Impact & The Road Ahead
Shield AI is riding three mega‑trends: AI militarization, unmanned systems proliferation, and software‑defined defense. The total addressable market for autonomous military systems is measured in hundreds of billions. The company’s next logical steps include:
- International expansion (already operating in UAE, Ukraine, Australia).
- Pursuing an IPO within 2‑3 years as revenue approaches $1B.
- Extending Hivemind to commercial sectors like logistics, inspection, and disaster response.
8. The Underdog.io Perspective: Should You Join?
Underdog.io's Take
Verdict: Shield AI presents a **high‑stakes, high‑impact opportunity** for candidates who want to work on frontier AI problems with immediate real‑world consequences and are comfortable with the pace and pressure of a scaling defense tech startup.
✅ Fit For: Mission‑driven builders, autonomy/AI engineers, those seeking massive ownership and battlefield‑tested tech.
⚠️ Think Twice If: You prefer a stable, low‑risk environment with strict 9‑5 boundaries and minimal regulatory complexity.
Growth Outlook: With a $5.6B valuation, $1.4B in funding, and a clear path to $1B revenue, Shield AI is on a trajectory that could lead to a major IPO or acquisition within 3‑5 years. For a candidate, this translates to **substantial equity upside, rapid career advancement, and the chance to shape the future of autonomous systems** at a defining company in the defense‑tech landscape.
9. How to Apply / Next Steps
Explore current open roles at Shield AI on their careers page or on LinkedIn. Underdog.io also partners with Shield AI on confidential talent searches. Create a profile on Underdog.io to be matched with opportunities here and at other high‑growth startups.
FAQ For Shield AI Careers
This section targets common search queries and keeps readers engaged on the page.
What is it like to work at Shield AI?
Based on available information, the culture is mission-driven and engineering-focused. Employees report working on cutting-edge AI autonomy problems with high levels of ownership. The fast-paced, high-growth environment is exciting but can also be intense, with evolving processes as the company scales.
What are the most common job openings at Shield AI?
Shield AI is consistently hiring for technical roles to advance its Hivemind autonomy stack. Common openings include Autonomy Engineer, Software Engineer (Perception, Systems), Machine Learning Engineer, and various senior engineering and technical program management positions.
What is the interview process like for technical roles at Shield AI?
While the specific process can vary by team, candidates for technical roles should be prepared for a rigorous evaluation. This typically includes a technical phone screen, followed by virtual or on-site interviews involving deep technical discussions, coding challenges, and system design problems relevant to autonomous systems.
Does Shield AI offer remote work options?
Shield AI has engineering centers in key locations like San Diego, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. Many roles are based on-site at these facilities due to the nature of the work with hardware and classified projects. Some software-focused positions may offer hybrid flexibility, but fully remote opportunities appear less common.
What is the typical compensation for engineers at Shield AI?
As a well-funded, high-growth unicorn, Shield AI offers competitive compensation packages. These typically include a strong base salary, meaningful equity grants (stock options/RSUs), and comprehensive benefits like top-tier health insurance, 401k matching, and wellness perks.
