Senior Systems Integration Engineer / Tech Lead Counter-UAS

Emergent Swarm Solutions; Delft; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Autonomy and leadership

Work on groundbreaking C-UAS

On-site in Delft

Travel opportunities

Job summary

Emergent in Delft seeks a Senior Systems Integration Engineer / Tech Lead to unite radar, RF, EO/IR, and other sensors with C2 and effector subsystems into a single, deployable system. You will set integration strategy, mentor engineers, and stay hands-on through V&V, field tests, and deployment.

The role requires 5+ years of experience with complex systems integration, proficiency in Linux/C++, Python, and strong communication in English.

Qualifications

• MSc (or BSc with equivalent experience) in Aerospace, Electrical, Software, Systems, or Mechanical Engineering, or similar.
• 5+ years of industry experience, with demonstrable experience integrating complex systems of systems — ideally Counter-UAS (C-UAS) or Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD).
• Proven experience with system integration, sensor fusion, and decision-making / effector cueing.
• Demonstrable experience setting up full system architectures and defining interfaces (ICDs, message buses, data models) across subsystems from different vendors.
• Experience leading engineering teams or owning major technical projects, including technical project management.
• Proven experience defining V&V strategies and taking integrated systems from prototype to deployment.
• Strong hands-on skills with sensors, links, and systems integration; comfortable analyzing logs and reasoning about timing, latency, and failure modes across a distributed system.
• Proficiency in Linux/WSL, C++, and Python.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a strong bias toward action.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to lead in a dynamic team environment.
• Excellent verbal communication in English, strong plus for Dutch.
• EU and/or NATO citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Own C-UAS system integration end to end — architect and lead integration of radar, RF, EO/IR, acoustic and other sensors with C2 and effector subsystems into a deployable, interoperable whole.
• Lead command-and-control (C2) integration — define interfaces, message buses, and data models that connect detection, tracking, decision-making, and effector cueing across the kill chain.
• Drive sensor fusion and track management — integrate multi-sensor fusion, track correlation, and classification for a single trustworthy air picture.
• Own the decision-making layer — integrate threat evaluation, prioritization, and effector-assignment logic into robust, testable software.
• Set the technical direction — maintain integration architecture for modularity and interoperability, adhering to ICDs and standards.
• Lead and mentor — guide a small engineering team, set code standards, testing frameworks, and review processes.
• Stay hands-on — contribute to development, debugging, simulation, HIL/SIL, and field testing; own V&V strategy from bench to deployment.
• Bridge to the real world — collaborate with founders, clients, and partners to translate requirements into scalable system architecture.

Skills

System integration

Sensor fusion

C++

Python

Leadership

ICD interfaces

V&V strategies

Linux/WSL

Education

MSc in Engineering

BSc with equivalent experience

Tools

Docker

ROS

Data modeling

Job description

Emergent is a Delft-based company dedicated to revolutionizing autonomous aerial systems for defense and emergency response. We develop and deploy software for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that enables platform-independent collaborative autonomy, and we build the Counter-UAS (C-UAS) systems that detect, track, and defeat hostile drones in denied and cluttered environments. Our technology leverages decentralized swarming algorithms and multi-sensor fusion to tackle real-world challenges at scale.

We have successfully attracted significant capital and grants, and we are working with clients and strategic partners across Europe and allied countries — strong signals of market traction. Backed by experienced advisors, we offer the chance to join a 20-person team pushing the boundaries of autonomy and counter-drone defense, with real autonomy and influence over what we build.

What you will do:

As Senior Systems Integration Engineer / Tech Lead for our C-UAS product line, you will own how our detection, tracking, command-and-control, and effector subsystems come together into a single, coherent system that works in the field. This is a system-of-systems role: your job is to make heterogeneous sensors, data links, C2 software, and effectors behave as one; reliably, under time pressure, against real threats.

You will set the technical direction for integration, lead a group of engineers, and stay hands-on. This is not a UI-design or front-end role, and it is not about building simple, self-contained features. We are looking for someone who has integrated complex systems (of systems) before — ideally C-UAS or IAMD — and who knows where the hard problems hide: interfaces, timing, sensor fusion, decision logic, and interoperability.

Your responsibilities will involve:

• Own C-UAS system integration end to end — architect and lead the integration of radar, RF, EO/IR, acoustic and other sensors with our C2 and effector subsystems into a deployable, interoperable whole.
• Lead command-and-control (C2) integration — define the interfaces, message buses, and data models that connect detection, tracking, decision-making, and effector cueing across the kill chain.
• Drive sensor fusion and track management — integrate and validate multi-sensor fusion, track correlation, and classification so the system produces a single, trustworthy air picture.
• Own the decision-making layer — integrate threat evaluation, prioritization, and effector-assignment logic (human-on-the-loop / human-in-the-loop) into robust, testable software.
• Set the technical direction — maintain the integration architecture, ensuring modularity, interoperability, and adherence to relevant standards and ICDs.
• Lead and mentor — guide a small, high-performing engineering team, set code standards, testing frameworks, and review processes, and grow the technical capability of the people around you.
• Stay hands-on — contribute directly to development, debugging, simulation, HIL/SIL, and field testing; own V&V strategy from bench to deployment.
• Bridge to the real world — collaborate with founders, clients, and partners to translate operational requirements into scalable system architecture, and take integrated systems from prototype through customer acceptance trials.

What you bring:

• MSc (or BSc with equivalent experience) in Aerospace, Electrical, Software, Systems, or Mechanical Engineering, or similar.
• 5+ years of industry experience, with demonstrable experience integrating complex systems of systems — ideally Counter-UAS (C-UAS) or Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) systems.
• Proven experience with system integration, sensor fusion, and decision-making / effector cueing.
• Demonstrable experience setting up full system architectures and defining interfaces (ICDs, message buses, data models) across subsystems from different vendors.
• Experience leading engineering teams or owning major technical projects, including technical project management.
• Proven experience defining V&V strategies and taking integrated systems from prototype to deployment.
• Strong hands-on skills with sensors, links, and systems integration; comfortable analyzing logs and reasoning about timing, latency, and failure modes across a distributed system.
• Proficiency in Linux/WSL, C++, and Python.
• Solid grasp of tracking, sensor fusion, and estimation — enough to know what to integrate, where it will fail, and why.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a strong bias toward action.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to lead in a dynamic team environment.
• Excellent verbal communication in English, strong plus for Dutch .
• EU and/or NATO citizenship required.

Nice to haves:

• Direct experience with C-UAS or IAMD programs, battle-management / C2 software, or air-defense integration.
• Familiarity with relevant interoperability standards and interfaces (e.g. STANAG 4586, ASTERIX radar data, Link 16, MAVLink) and with defining ICDs across subsystems.
• Experience with multi-sensor tracking, track fusion, and TEWA (threat evaluation and weapon/effector assignment) concepts.
• Experience with HIL/SIL setups and advanced simulation environments.
• Experience leading field test campaigns or customer acceptance trials.
• Experience with GPU acceleration, ROS, PX4, ArduPilot, Docker, and CI/CD.
• Experience with industry-standard communications links and C-UAS testing.
• Familiarity with defense or dual-use deployment environments.

What We Offer:

• Competitive base salary plus 8% holiday allowance and 25 vacation days.
• A pivotal technical leadership role in a fast-growing defense-tech startup, with significant autonomy and influence.
• The chance to work on groundbreaking C-UAS and swarm technology and deploy it on real systems with real operational impact.
• A collaborative, supportive team in Delft with deep technical ambition and a practical focus — and real opportunities for growth.
• Full-time onsite in Delft.
• Work travel to the EU, North America, and Ukraine.

Application materials (combine PDFs and submit in CV entry):

• Motivation letter that includes a description of something you have built, broken, tested, or deployed — during school, work, or in your personal time. Bonus points if it flew.