UAV Systems Engineer

Darwin Recruitment; Lisboa; Hybrid; EUR 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment is seeking a UAV Systems Engineer in Portugal to join its aerospace and autonomous systems team. You will design and integrate electrical, control, and communication architectures for next-generation UAS.

The role requires 4+ years in aerospace or defense, experience with RTOS and Embedded Linux, and familiarity with MAVLink/DroneCAN. Fluent English and strong collaboration with software and hardware teams are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant engineering field.
• Experience in aerospace, autonomous systems, robotics, or defence is required.
• Strong knowledge of communication protocols including IP Networking, CAN Bus, Serial Communications.
• Experience with RTOS and Embedded Linux environments.
• Excellent systems-level thinking and communication in English.

Responsibilities

• Design, define, and manage electrical, control, and communication architectures across a UAS platform.
• Develop, optimise, and maintain communication systems using MAVLink, DroneCAN, IP networking, and RS232/422/485.
• Analyse and improve system architectures to enhance performance, reliability, scalability, and maintainability.
• Collaborate with software, electronics, systems, and integration engineers to resolve complex technical challenges.
• Define and manage system interfaces and ensure end-to-end subsystem compatibility.
• Support requirements definition, traceability, verification, and validation throughout the product lifecycle.
• Collaborate with certification and airworthiness stakeholders to ensure aviation safety compliance.
• Act as a technical bridge between software and hardware teams.
• Produce and maintain architectural designs, interface specifications, and engineering reports.

Skills

RTOS

Embedded Linux

IP Networking

CAN Bus

Serial Communications

C/C++

Python

Systems thinking

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Systems Engineering

Computer Engineering

Related technical discipline

Tools

DO-178C

ARP4754A

Job description

UAV Systems Engineer

Location: Portugal (Hybrid/On-Site)

About the Opportunity

An innovative aerospace and autonomous systems organisation is seeking a UAV Systems Engineer to join its engineering team developing next-generation Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS).

As a Systems Engineer, you will play a key role in ensuring seamless interaction between onboard hardware, software, communications, and control systems while collaborating with multidisciplinary engineering teams across the product lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, define, and manage electrical, control, and communication architectures across a sophisticated UAS platform.
• Develop, optimise, and maintain communication systems using protocols such as MAVLink, DroneCAN, IP networking, and RS232/422/485.
• Analyse and improve system architectures to enhance performance, reliability, scalability, and maintainability.
• Work closely with software, electronics, systems, and integration engineers to resolve complex technical challenges.
• Define and manage system interfaces and ensure end-to-end subsystem compatibility.
• Support requirements definition, traceability, verification, and validation activities throughout the product lifecycle.
• Collaborate with certification and airworthiness stakeholders to ensure compliance with aviation safety and regulatory requirements.
• Act as a technical bridge between software development and hardware integration teams.
• Produce and maintain technical documentation, including architectural designs, interface specifications, and engineering reports.

Requirements

Essential

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in:
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Systems Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Or a related technical discipline
• 4+ years of experience in Systems Engineering within:
  • Aerospace
  • Autonomous Systems
  • Robotics
  • Defence
  • Other safety-critical industries
• Strong understanding of communication protocols including:
  • IP Networking
  • CAN Bus
  • Serial Communications
• Experience with:
  • Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS)
  • Embedded Linux environments
• Strong systems-level thinking and ability to understand complex interactions between hardware and software subsystems.
• Excellent communication skills and fluent English.

Desirable Skills

• Experience working on UAV/UAS platforms.
• Knowledge of aerospace certification standards such as:
  • DO-178C
  • ARP4754A
  • Similar safety-critical development frameworks
• Embedded software development experience in:
  • C/C++
  • Python
• Familiarity with systems engineering methodologies, requirements management, and configuration management tools.
• Exposure to autonomous vehicle, avionics, or mission systems development.

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.