Lead Drone Design & Integration Architect

XCaliber Technologies; Norfolk (CT); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

XCaliber Technologies in the United States is a cutting-edge defense contractor seeking a Lead Drone Design and Integration Engineer to own the architecture and vehicle integration of unmanned aircraft platforms.

This hands-on leadership role spans airframe, propulsion, avionics, sensing, and payload integration, taking concepts through flight-proven systems while balancing performance, weight, endurance, cost, and manufacturability.

Qualifications

• Own aircraft architecture, subsystems interfaces, and major interfaces across airframe, propulsion, avionics, sensors.
• Define configurations, interfaces, and engineering requirements with practical tradeoffs.
• Hands-on CAD capability and experience turning designs into working hardware.
• Lead prototype builds, ground tests, flight testing, and design iteration.
• Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Robotics, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Own aircraft architecture and vehicle integration from initial requirements through prototype development, flight testing, iteration, and production.
• Define aircraft configurations, subsystem requirements, and major interfaces across airframe, propulsion, power, avionics, sensors, communications, and payloads.
• Drive aircraft level engineering tradeoffs across weight, CG, speed, endurance, payload capacity, reliability, and cost.
• Lead component selection and mechanical, electrical, and hardware and software integration across the complete aircraft.
• Establish and manage key aircraft constraints and budgets, including mass, center of gravity, power, thermal performance, and payload capacity.
• Drive prototype builds, ground and flight testing, troubleshooting, failure investigation, and rapid design iteration.
• Use engineering analysis, test data, and flight results to validate performance and guide vehicle level design decisions.
• Lead design, integration, and flight readiness reviews while coordinating multidisciplinary engineering work and resolving problems across aircraft subsystems.
• Guide aircraft from rapid prototypes toward reliable, repeatable, and manufacturable production hardware.

Skills

Unmanned aircraft design

System integration

Prototype development

Flight testing

Technical leadership

CAD proficiency

Education

Aerospace Engineering degree

Tools

CAD software

PX4

ArduPilot

Python

C/C++

Job description

XCaliber Technologies in the United States is a cutting-edge defense contractor seeking a Lead Drone Design and Integration Engineer to own the architecture and vehicle integration of unmanned aircraft platforms.

This hands-on leadership role spans airframe, propulsion, avionics, sensing, and payload integration, taking concepts through flight-proven systems while balancing performance, weight, endurance, cost, and manufacturability.