UAS Systems Architect: Payload Integration Lead

Randstad Technologies Recruitment; Salisbury; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Randstad Technologies Recruitment seeks an experienced Systems Engineer/Architect to lead the integration of 3rd-party payloads onto advanced UAV platforms. The role is hybrid, with three on-site days weekly in Salisbury area, and sprint-driven engineering focus on first-principles calculations and RF considerations.

You will draft ICDs, validate interfaces between sensors, edge processors and flight control units, and review avionics schematics while managing change through PLM/DDM systems.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years in UAV/robotics or defence SME environments.
• Strong knowledge of CAN bus, Ethernet, Serial protocols and C3 radio links.
• Hands-on problem solver driven by physical calculations.
• Experience with hardware interface design and integrating 3rd-party payloads.

Responsibilities

• Draft ICDs and interface concepts between 3rd-party sensors, edge processors and flight control units.
• Conduct first-principles calculations for RF link margins, power budgets and thermal/mass balances.
• Evaluate EMC/EMI concerns, optimize antenna placement and assess radio performance for C3 equipment.
• Review avionics schematics in Altium/KiCad and manage change control via PLM/DDM.

Skills

CAN bus

Ethernet

Serial protocols

C3 radio links

Tools

Altium

KiCad

PLM

DDM systems

Job description

Randstad Technologies Recruitment seeks an experienced Systems Engineer/Architect to lead the integration of 3rd-party payloads onto advanced UAV platforms. The role is hybrid, with three on-site days weekly in Salisbury area, and sprint-driven engineering focus on first-principles calculations and RF considerations.

You will draft ICDs, validate interfaces between sensors, edge processors and flight control units, and review avionics schematics while managing change through PLM/DDM systems.