Job Details

Principal Systems Engineer

Join a fast-growing advanced aerospace and autonomy organization developing next-generation small UAV and autonomous aviation platforms. We are seeking a Principal Systems Engineer, with an electrical background, whom can go onto lead the architecture, integration, and validation of complex electrical systems across highly integrated airborne vehicles operating in dynamic mission environments.

This position will play a critical role in bridging electrical, mechanical, software, and systems engineering disciplines to ensure successful development, integration, and deployment of compact autonomous aircraft platforms.

Responsibilities:

• Lead electrical systems development for small UAV and autonomous aircraft platforms, including power distribution, avionics, sensing, communications, and embedded hardware integration.

• Define and manage system requirements, interface control documents, verification plans, and subsystem performance metrics.

• Drive end-to-end electrical integration activities across propulsion systems, batteries, flight computers, payloads, RF systems, sensors, and mission-critical electronics.

• Collaborate closely with mechanical engineering teams to support packaging, thermal management, vibration mitigation, harness routing, structural integration, and environmental qualification activities.

• Support system architecture trade studies focused on SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power, and Cost) optimization for compact UAV platforms.

• Lead root-cause analysis, troubleshooting, and validation activities during bench testing, hardware integration, ground testing, and flight test campaigns.

• Partner with software, autonomy, and controls engineering teams to ensure seamless integration between embedded systems, flight software, and vehicle-level functionality.

• Mentor junior engineers while driving technical decision-making across multidisciplinary engineering programs.

• Interface with suppliers, manufacturing, and program leadership teams to support prototype builds, production readiness, and system scalability.

Preferred Background:

• Strong background in electrical engineering with hands-on exposure to mechanical integration and systems engineering principles.

• Experience developing UAV, aerospace, robotics, autonomous vehicle, or defense-related platforms.

• Knowledge of avionics architectures, embedded systems, power electronics, communication protocols, and sensor integration.

• Familiarity with rapid prototyping, hardware bring-up, environmental testing, and flight test operations.

• Ability to operate effectively within fast-paced, highly collaborative R&D environments.