Platform Software Engineer, APIs & Infrastructure

About the position

The Platform Software Engineer, APIs & Infrastructure role at Shield AI involves designing and delivering production-grade, scalable software systems. This position requires advanced proficiency in Golang and Python, along with experience in cloud computing platforms and container orchestration. The engineer will work on building robust data models, scalable backend services, and resilient infrastructure to support high-throughput data pipelines and complex simulation workloads. The role is onsite in San Diego, CA, and is expected to last for 12 months.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement robust data models and database architectures to support distributed systems.
• Develop scalable backend services and APIs to power Forge's infrastructure and tooling.
• Build systems for virtualization, containerization, and orchestration, ensuring optimal performance across cloud, on-premises, and local environments.
• Architect and deploy resilient infrastructure for managing high-throughput data pipelines and complex simulation workloads.
• Design and implement networked systems, integrating advanced protocols and middleware to enable seamless communication across autonomous agents and backend systems.
• Contribute to tools and infrastructure that support secure, efficient deployment of Forge on varied hardware platforms.
• Create and maintain clear, detailed documentation for internal and external users of Forge's platform capabilities.

Requirements

• 8-15+ years of experience designing and delivering production-grade, scalable software systems.
• Advanced proficiency with Golang and Python for systems programming and backend development.
• 3+ years of experience with cloud computing platforms, container orchestration, and virtualization technologies (e.g., Kubernetes, Docker, VMware).
• Expertise in designing and optimizing relational databases, data models, and high-throughput pipelines.
• Strong understanding of network protocols (e.g., UDP, TCP) and hands-on experience with building distributed networked applications.
• Familiarity with systems programming concepts such as concurrency, performance optimization, and resource management.
• Experience deploying secure, reliable infrastructure in hybrid cloud and on-premises environments.
• BS/MS in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively, mentor team members, and deliver results in fast-paced, mission-driven environments.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with Helm charts and automated infrastructure deployment tools.
• Familiarity with tools for low-level network analysis and debugging, such as Wireshark or Serf.
• Knowledge of CUE for configuration management and schema validation.
• Experience with virtualization platforms and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing environments.
• Background in aerospace, defense, or another highly regulated industry with a focus on secure and compliant software practices.
• Experience building a productionized software development kit (SDK).
• Proficiency in additional systems-level programming languages such as C++ or Rust.
• Hands-on experience with distributed systems, event-driven architectures, and canary deployments.