Sr. Research and Development Engineer – Prototyping and Flight Testing

Role Overview

Key Responsibilities

• Assemble, integrate, and modify prototype UAVs in the workshop, including fabrication, fitting, and repair of airframe components.
• Support mechanical fabrication tasks such as composite work, CNC, 3D printing, wiring, soldering, and harness assembly.
• Plan and execute flight test campaigns for fixed-wing UAVs >25kg, including mission prep, field testing, and pilot operation (manual and autonomous).
• Tune flight parameters (e.g., PID, failsafes, airspeeds) and configure autopilots (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot).
• Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, firmware, and GCS teams for rapid problem-solving.
• Maintain a clean, organized workshop and field-ready UAV inventory.
• Contribute to SOPs and documentation for integration and test processes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, Mechanical, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related technical field.
• At least 5 years of experience in UAV prototyping, flight testing, and workshop-based fabrication.
• Demonstrated experience flying and tuning fixed-wing UAVs above 25kg MTOW.
• Practical skills in airframe assembly, composite work, soldering, cabling, and mechanical integration.
• Familiarity with PX4 and/or ArduPilot, including autopilot tuning and calibration.
• Experience with various RC systems, different types of propulsion (turbojet experience highly desirable).
• Strong safety awareness and risk assessment capability during workshop and field testing.
• Willingness to travel and work in outdoor field environments for flight test campaigns.