Autopilot Engineer (Control)

Stark Defence; Berlin; Vor Ort; EUR 55.000 - 75.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

A leading defence technology company in Berlin is seeking an experienced Autopilot Engineer to develop and maintain flight controller firmware for PX4-based systems. The ideal candidate will have strong C/C++ programming skills and hands-on experience with PX4 systems. Responsibilities include optimizing real-time performance on constrained environments and interfacing high-level autonomy with low-level autopilot systems. This is an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge technologies and enhance Europe's defense capabilities.

Qualifikationen

• Integrated Master’s or higher in related engineering field.
• Strong C/C++ programming skills for embedded systems.
• Hands-on experience preferably with PX4 systems.

Aufgaben

• Develop and maintain autopilot firmware for PX4-based systems.
• Optimize real-time performance on NuttX/RTOS environments.
• Interface high-level autonomy with low-level autopilot systems.

Kenntnisse

Strong C/C++ programming skills

Hands-on experience with PX4 systems

Strong foundation in mathematics and physics

Experience with flight controllers

Deep understanding of flight dynamics

Ausbildung

Integrated Master’s in Electrical & Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

PX4 systems

MAVLink Protocol

Jobbeschreibung

About Us

STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionising the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop and manufacture high performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost effective. This provides our operators with a decisive edge in highly contested environments. We’re focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems—not future promises. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe—today.

Qualifications

• Integrated Master’s (Dipl. Eng.) or higher in Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE), Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, or Applied Mathematics & Physical Sciences (TEMFE).
• Strong foundation in mathematics and physics (dynamics, kinematics)
• Deep understanding of flight dynamics and control principles
• Hands-on experience with PX4 systems and MAVLink Protocol
• Experience with flight controllers and embedded microcontrollers (MCUs)
• Strong C/C++ programming skills (embedded / real-time systems)
• Experience developing low-level firmware and sensor drivers
• Familiarity with IMU, barometer, magnetometer, GNSS, air data sensors
• Understanding of real-time operating systems (e.g. NuttX)
• Experience with system integration and hardware debugging
• Strong debugging and performance tuning skills

Nice to have

• Experience with ArduPilot or PX4 internals (uORB, WorkQueues, modules)
• Knowledge of uXRCE-DDS, or ROS2 integration
• Experience with hardware bring-up and PCB-level debugging
• Familiarity with redundant IMU architectures and sensor voting
• Experience with high-shock environments
• Understanding of safety-critical systems and failsafe design
• MATLAB / Python for control tuning and analysis

If you’re interested in building the future of European Defence with us, and you see yourself reflected in the description above, please send us your CV in English. We’re looking forward to meeting you!

Your mission

As an Autopilot Engineer you will develop, adjust, and maintain flight controller firmware and autopilot systems that enable stable, reliable, and high-performance control of unmanned platforms under real-world operational constraints.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain autopilot firmware for all systems (PX4-based systems)
• Develop and customise our gimbal system for all systems
• Implement and tune low-level control loops (PID, LQR, rate, attitude, and actuator control)
• Work directly with flight controllers (MCU-based systems) and embedded hardware
• Develop and integrate sensor drivers (IMU, barometer, magnetometer, GPS, air data)
• Optimize real-time performance on constrained systems (NuttX / RTOS environments)
• Interface high-level autonomy (ROS2) with low-level autopilot systems (MAVLink / DDS bridges)
• Perform hardware-software integration, calibration, and validation
• Support pre-arm checks, safety systems, and failsafe mechanisms
• Debug issues across firmware, drivers, and hardware layers
• Conduct HIL/SIL testing and real-world flight tests
• Document system architecture, tuning procedures, and validation results