UAV Systems Engineer
Location: Portugal (Hybrid/On-Site)
About the Opportunity
An innovative aerospace and autonomous systems organisation is seeking a UAV Systems Engineer to join its engineering team developing next-generation Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS).
As a Systems Engineer, you will play a key role in ensuring seamless interaction between onboard hardware, software, communications, and control systems while collaborating with multidisciplinary engineering teams across the product lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, define, and manage electrical, control, and communication architectures across a sophisticated UAS platform.
- Develop, optimise, and maintain communication systems using protocols such as MAVLink, DroneCAN, IP networking, and RS232/422/485.
- Analyse and improve system architectures to enhance performance, reliability, scalability, and maintainability.
- Work closely with software, electronics, systems, and integration engineers to resolve complex technical challenges.
- Define and manage system interfaces and ensure end-to-end subsystem compatibility.
- Support requirements definition, traceability, verification, and validation activities throughout the product lifecycle.
- Collaborate with certification and airworthiness stakeholders to ensure compliance with aviation safety and regulatory requirements.
- Act as a technical bridge between software development and hardware integration teams.
- Produce and maintain technical documentation, including architectural designs, interface specifications, and engineering reports.
Requirements
Essential
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Or a related technical discipline
- 4+ years of experience in Systems Engineering within:
- Aerospace
- Autonomous Systems
- Robotics
- Defence
- Other safety-critical industries
- Strong understanding of communication protocols including:
- IP Networking
- CAN Bus
- Serial Communications
- Experience with:
- Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS)
- Embedded Linux environments
- Strong systems-level thinking and ability to understand complex interactions between hardware and software subsystems.
- Excellent communication skills and fluent English.
Desirable Skills
- Experience working on UAV/UAS platforms.
- Knowledge of aerospace certification standards such as:
- DO-178C
- ARP4754A
- Similar safety-critical development frameworks
- Embedded software development experience in:
- C/C++
- Python
- Familiarity with systems engineering methodologies, requirements management, and configuration management tools.
- Exposure to autonomous vehicle, avionics, or mission systems development.
Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.
Siyabonga Msomi