UAV Design Engineer

SAAB; Ideford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Private medical insurance

Group income protection

Death in service insurance

Share matching scheme

Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

Job summary

Saab UK in Bedford is seeking a UAV Design Engineer to own conceptual sizing and analysis for new air vehicle concepts. You will turn requirements into sized, analysed designs and iterate through trade studies with rapid geometry and performance assessment.

You will work hands-on with OpenVSP, RCAIDE, AVL and similar tools, while integrating flight-test data to calibrate models. Collaboration across a small engineering team and potential SC clearance are part of the role.

Qualifications

• Experience with conceptual/preliminary design tools (OpenVSP, RCAIDE, AVL, XFLR5, Datcom or equivalents).
• Strong scripting and analysis skills in Python (or similar).
• Ability to work across a small, multidisciplinary engineering team.
• Experience with PX4 / ArduPilot, SITL/HITL simulation, and processing autopilot flight logs (ULog, MAVLink).
• Sound applied aerodynamics knowledge.
• Experience with data validation, model calibration and comparing flight data to analytical models.

Responsibilities

• Perform aircraft conceptual sizing and constraint analysis to define feasible design points for new UAV concepts.
• Develop parametric air vehicle geometry and Outer Mould Line and drive it through the analysis loop.
• Run trade studies and design-space exploration.
• Synthesize flight-test and bench-test data to validate and improve conceptual models.
• Maintain, improve and build the concept-design toolchain and automation that underpins rapid iteration.

Job description

This role is part of our Blue Bear business unit in Bedford. We are seeking a UAV Design Engineer with aircraft sizing ownership, hands-on engineering, and data-validation experience to strengthen our early-stage design capability: turning requirements and CONOPS into sized, analysed and testable air vehicle concepts through rapid, iterative trade studies. This role is central to our conceptual design loop, by early exploring design trade space and rapidly iterating through geometry, aerodynamics, weights, propulsion, mission and stability., Perform aircraft conceptual sizing and constraint analysis to define feasible design points for new UAV concepts. Develop parametric air vehicle geometry and Outer Mould Line and drive it through the analysis loop, regenerating a concept from a defined parameter set. Produce the core conceptual outputs. Run trade studies and design-space exploration. Synthesise flight-test and bench-test data (flight logs, telemetry, measured aero/propulsion performance) and use it to validate, calibrate and improve conceptual models and sizing methods. Select and shape propulsion system concepts and integrate them into mission and energy-network performance analysis. Maintain, improve and where appropriate build the concept-design toolchain and automation that underpins rapid iteration (geometry, aero, mission, surrogate and data-processing tools). Capture and communicate design risk, where the design is immature or sensitive and feed it into the programme risk register. Aircraft sizing, concept-design tooling, and the synthesis of flight-test data to improve models Aircraft / UAV conceptual design and sizing, constraint analysis, weight and mission/energy sizing, and closing a design point. Hands-on experience with conceptual and preliminary design tools such as OpenVSP, RCAIDE, AVL, XFLR5, Datcom or equivalent in-house tools. Sound applied aerodynamics knowledge. Experience synthesising flight logs / telemetry / test data and using it to validate and improve analytical models (model calibration, correlation to test). Strong scripting and analysis skills in Python (or similar). Working understanding of the full conceptual design loop: geometry, aerodynamics, weights, propulsion, mission performance and stability & control, and how the disciplines couple. Strong problem-solving skills, sound engineering judgement, and a proactive approach to improving methods and tools. Ability to work collaboratively across a small, multidisciplinary engineering team. Stability & control analysis, flight dynamics modelling, and handling-qualities assessment. Experience with PX4 / ArduPilot, SITL/HITL simulation, and processing autopilot flight logs (ULog, MAVLink). CAD and geometry handling; exporting/meshing surfaces for higher-fidelity aero (panel/CFD). Mid- to high-fidelity aero exposure (panel methods such as FlightStream, or RANS CFD) for validating key design points. Experience working in safety-critical, regulated or defence environments. Ability to gain SC Clearance.

Saab UK is part of Scandinavia's largest defence company, bringing together the best of Swedish and British innovation. Saab offers world-leading solutions and services in defence, aviation, space, and civil security to keep people and society safe. Our UK presence has been growing at pace, meaning we can offer a wide range of opportunities for personal fulfilment and career growth. We currently employ over 600 people across eight sites in the UK, and our specialisations include software engineering, underwater robotics, radars, AI, and armed forces training.

Saab UK Company Benefits:

• 30 days annual leave
• Workplace pension scheme with 8% company contribution
• Private medical insurance
• Group income protection scheme
• Death in service insurance
• Up to 5% share matching scheme
• Company enhanced Maternity/Adoption & Paternity leave.
• + Much more