Avionics Electronics Engineer

Alta Ares; Blagnac; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel to test ranges

Job summary

Alta Ares is seeking a talented avionics engineer to design, develop, and integrate critical airborne electronic systems for high-performance unmanned aerial platforms. You will own schematic capture, PCB layout reviews, and component selection with a focus on size, weight, power, and cost.

The role involves defining electrical architectures, power distribution, and harnessing, plus integration of flight controllers and sensors.

Qualifications

• MSc or equivalent in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 3–8 years of avionics, embedded hardware, or electronics design experience, preferably on airborne systems.
• Hands-on board development from schematic to flight-tested hardware; strong power electronics and sensor interfaces knowledge.
• Familiarity with autopilot ecosystems (PX4, ArduPilot, or proprietary) is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and integrate avionics and electronic subsystems for high-performance unmanned aerial systems.
• Own schematic capture, PCB layout reviews, and component selection for flight-critical electronics.
• Define electrical architecture, power distribution, and harnessing for compact airframes.
• Select and integrate flight controllers, navigation sensors, data links, and onboard compute.
• Lead hardware-in-the-loop and environmental testing; support field deployments.

Skills

Lab testing & instrumentation

Power electronics

RF & data links

Autopilot ecosystems

Education

MSc in Electrical/Electronic or Aerospace Eng

Job description

About Alta Ares

Alta Ares is an air defense Neoprime. We build AI-guided interceptors to counter drones and cruise missiles, along with the software platform that powers them.

Our customers are NATO-aligned militaries and defense institutions, and our systems are regularly deployed during live exercises and operational demonstrations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Founded in 2024, we have grown to 90 people, raised over $60M, and increased revenue 40× this year. We are now entering a new phase of international expansion, industrial scaling, fundraising, and product development.

Role & Mission

Avionics Architecture & Hardware Design

• Design, develop, and integrate avionics and electronic subsystems for high-performance unmanned aerial systems
• Own schematic capture, PCB layout reviews, and component selection for flight-critical electronics, with a strong focus on size, weight, power, and cost
• Define the electrical architecture, power distribution, and harnessing for compact, high-dynamic airframes
• Select and integrate flight controllers, navigation sensors (IMU, GNSS, magnetometer, air data), data links, and onboard compute
• Design for manufacturability and reliability, from early prototypes through to series production

Integration, Test & Validation

• Lead bench, hardware-in-the-loop, and environmental testing of avionics subsystems
• Integrate electronics into the airframe and support full system integration with the software and guidance teams
• Diagnose and resolve hardware, power, signal integrity, and EMI/EMC issues
• Support ground and flight test campaigns, analyse test data, and feed results back into rapid design iterations

Suppliers & Industrialisation

• Work with component suppliers to secure quality, cost, and lead times
• Manage component obsolescence, second-sourcing, and supply chain resilience for critical parts
• Produce and maintain design documentation, BOMs, interface control documents, and test procedures
• Support qualification activities against relevant aerospace and military standards

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Software, Guidance & Navigation, Mechanical, Product and Flight Test teams in short iteration loops
• Contribute to design reviews, trade studies, and product roadmap decisions
• Support field deployments and live demonstrations with customers when required

Requirements

Candidate profile

• MSc or equivalent in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
• 3-8 years of experience in avionics, embedded hardware, or electronics design, ideally on UAS, aircraft, missiles, or other airborne systems
• Hands-on experience taking boards from schematic to tested flight hardwareSolid understanding of power electronics, motor control, RF and data links, and sensor interfaces
• Familiarity with autopilot ecosystems (PX4, ArduPilot, or proprietary) is a strong plus

Skills & Qualities

• Hands-on, lab-oriented mindset: at ease with an oscilloscope, a soldering iron, and a test bench
• Rigorous, structured problem solver able to deliver under tight timelines
• Able to make pragmatic trade-offs between performance, cost, and schedule
• Clear technical communicator in documentation and design reviews
• High integrity, discretion, and understanding of security culture
• Fluent English; French is a plus

Nice to Have

• Experience in a defense startup, neoprime, or fast-moving hardware environment
• Knowledge of MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-810, DO-160, or equivalent standards
• Embedded firmware experience (C/C++) on STM32 or similar microcontrollers
• Experience integrating edge compute modules (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson) and high-bandwidth data links
• Exposure to counter-UAS or air defense systems
• Willingness to travel to test ranges and field sites