Principal Datalink and Spectrum Assurance Engineer

Volantes Technical Recruitment Ltd; Dubai; On-site; AED 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

Volantes Technical Recruitment Ltd in Dubai seeks a Principal Datalink & Spectrum Assurance Engineer to take ownership of aircraft-to-ground datalink communications and RF systems within a confidential eVTOL development programme.

You will lead the technical design and development of secure, resilient communications architectures, define link budgets and validate performance across operational environments, coordinating with cross-functional teams and external partners.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in datalink, RF, radio or communications systems engineering.
• Proven safety-critical aerospace communications experience.
• Experience designing complex communications architectures.
• Hands-on RF link budgeting and validation against measurements.
• Knowledge of carrier diversity, redundancy and resilience.
• Experience in spectrum management and regulatory licensing.
• Experience in interference analysis and spectrum coexistence.
• Understanding of communications security and key management.
• Experience supporting ground, range or flight testing.
• Ability to analyse performance data and complex issues.
• Cross-disciplinary teamwork with suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of aircraft-to-ground datalink systems.
• Define RF link budgets and performance validation.
• Oversee spectrum management and regulatory licensing.
• Ensure secure communications with encryption and authentication.
• Coordinate integration of airborne and ground-based systems.
• Prepare documentation for certification and accreditation reviews.
• Provide technical guidance to partners and suppliers.

Skills

Datalink systems

RF engineering

Spectrum management

Aviation safety

Systems integration

Job description

Principal Datalink & Spectrum Assurance Engineer

Location: Dubai, UAE
Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time
Seniority: Principal Engineer / Technical Leadership
Programme: Confidential Greenfield eVTOL Development

About the Opportunity

Volantes Technical Recruitment is supporting a confidential aerospace organisation in Dubai developing a confidential Greenfield eVTOL Development.

We are seeking an experienced Principal Datalink & Spectrum Assurance Engineer to take technical ownership of mission-critical communications links between aircraft and ground-based systems.

This is an opportunity to join an aerospace programme, helping establish secure, resilient and reliable communications architecture for advanced aviation operations.

The successful candidate will lead the technical development of datalink architecture, radio frequency (RF) systems, spectrum management, link performance and communications assurance.

Working alongside senior engineering leadership and multidisciplinary teams, you will play a key role in ensuring communications systems meet demanding aviation safety, security and operational requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the technical design and development of aircraft-to-ground datalink communications systems.

• Develop dual-carrier communications architectures, including redundancy, handover and carrier diversity.

• Own RF link budgets, performance modelling and validation across operational environments.

• Define communications requirements covering range, altitude, terrain, weather, antenna performance and signal integrity.

• Oversee spectrum management, frequency selection, regulatory licensing and coordination with relevant authorities.

• Develop strategies for communications resilience, including interference detection, link degradation and loss-of-link scenarios.

• Ensure secure communications through authentication, encryption, key management and data integrity controls.

• Support the integration of airborne communications equipment with ground-based infrastructure.

• Define requirements for communications latency, message prioritisation and system availability.

• Lead interference analysis and mitigation strategies, including protection against jamming, spoofing and signal interception.

• Develop verification and validation requirements for ground testing, range testing and flight test campaigns.

• Analyse test results, investigate communications anomalies and implement technical improvements.

• Support safety assessments, certification activities and regulatory compliance.

• Provide technical guidance to engineering specialists, suppliers and external technology partners.

• Prepare technical documentation and supporting evidence for engineering, certification and accreditation reviews.

Essential Requirements

• Extensive experience in datalink, RF, radio or communications systems engineering.

• Strong aerospace, aviation or equivalent safety-critical communications experience, including operationally critical systems.

• Proven experience designing and developing complex communications or datalink architectures.

• Hands-on experience developing RF link budgets and validating predicted performance against measured results.

• Strong knowledge of carrier diversity, communications redundancy, handover and network resilience.

• Practical experience in spectrum management, frequency allocation, regulatory licensing and coordination.

• Experience with interference analysis, detection, mitigation and spectrum coexistence.

• Understanding of communications security, authentication, encryption and key management.

• Experience developing communications resilience against jamming, spoofing, interception or signal loss.

• Experience supporting ground, range or flight testing of communications systems.

• Ability to analyse technical performance data and investigate complex communications issues.

• Experience working across multidisciplinary engineering teams and with external suppliers.

• Strong technical problem-solving skills and the ability to take ownership of complex engineering activities.

Desirable Experience

• Aircraft-to-ground communications for eVTOL, UAV, UAS or remotely operated aircraft.

• Aerospace, defence or national security communications programmes.

• Satellite communications (SATCOM), cellular networks or hybrid carrier architectures.

• Sovereign or nationally controlled communications infrastructure.

• Communications systems operating in contested, degraded or high-security environments.

• RF antenna integration, aircraft antenna placement and installed performance assessments.

• UTM, U-space or air traffic management datalink integration.

• Experience securing or managing spectrum rights for major engineering programmes.

• Experience working on greenfield aerospace or advanced aviation development programmes.

Location: Dubai, UAE
Relocation: International candidates considered
Confidentiality: Further information regarding the organisation and programme will be provided to suitably qualified candidates following the appropriate confidentiality process.