Drones systems engineer

About the RolePhoqtek Labs is seeking an exceptionalDrone Systems Engineerwho possesses deep expertise across bothaerial hardware designandautonomous navigation software. The candidate will be responsible for thedesign, integration, and deployment of next-generation dronesequipped withVisual Navigation Systems (VNS), capable ofGPS-denied operationandAI-assisted autonomy. This isnot a plug-and-play assembly roleyou will architect theentire system stack, fromsensor fusion and flight control integrationtoreal-time perception and control systemsoptimized onedge devices like NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano/Xavier.Key ResponsibilitiesHardware Design & IntegrationDesign, assemble, and optimizemulti-rotor and fixed-wing drones, including frame selection, motor & ESC configuration, propeller dynamics, and payload balancing. Integrate onboard compute modules (Jetson Orin, Raspberry Pi, etc.) withPX4orArduPilotflight controllers (CubePilot Orange+, Pixhawk 6X, etc.). Develop and testpower distribution systems,LiPo battery configurations, andtelemetry setups(SiK, 433/915 MHz, etc.). Work onthermal management,vibration isolation, andEMI mitigationto ensure high sensor accuracy. Software & Autonomy StackDevelop and tuneVisual Navigation Systems (VNS)including: Visual-Inertial Odometry (VIO) Visual SLAM (Kimera, ORB-SLAM3, VINS-Fusion) Depth-based obstacle avoidance Implement and optimizesensor fusion pipelines(IMU + Vision + GPS + LiDAR) usingROS/ROS2. Work onautonomous path planning,mission control, andfailsafe behaviors. Deployreal-time inference pipelinesfor onboard AI (object detection, terrain mapping, human/vehicle tracking). IntegrateMAVLink protocolsfor communication between companion computers and flight controllers. Systems Engineering & TestingCalibrate and validate sensors (IMU, magnetometer, barometer, GPS, and camera extrinsics). Conductground and flight teststo evaluate stability, control loops, and navigation accuracy. Analyzeflight logsusingQGroundControl,Mission Planner, orMAVLink toolsfor debugging and optimization. Manageversion-controlled firmware and ROS packagesusingGitand CI/CD pipelines. Edge & Cloud DeploymentImplementreal-time video streaming,telemetry dashboards, andremote monitoringover 4G/5G or Wi-Fi. Optimizelow-latency data pipelinesusingCUDA,TensorRT, andGStreamer. Collaborate with AI/ML engineers fordata collection, annotation, and retraining pipelinesfor perception and mapping models. Required Skills & Experience1–2 yearsof hands-on experience in UAV system development (hardware + software). Proven integration experience withPX4orArduPilotflight stacks. Strong programming skills inC++andPythonfor robotics and embedded control. Deep understanding ofROS/ROS2,MAVROS, andsensor fusion algorithms. Hands-on experience withNVIDIA Jetson devices(Jetson Orin/Xavier/Nano). Experience withstereo/depth camerassuch asIntel RealSense D455,ZED, orLuxonis OAK-D. Knowledge ofSLAM/VIO algorithms,sensor calibration, and3D reconstruction. Familiarity withPCB design,power electronics, andembedded microcontrollers(STM32, ESP32). Strong background incontrol systems,flight dynamics, andPID tuning. DGCA-certified drone pilot license (preferred)— ideal for candidates capable of manual flight testing and maneuver validation. Preferred SkillsExperience withIsaac ROS Visual SLAM,Kimera-VIO, orRTAB-Map. Exposure toLiDAR integrationandpoint cloud processing(PCL, Open3D). Proficiency inDockerfor containerized robotics deployments. Understanding ofcomputer vision (OpenCV)anddeep learning frameworks(PyTorch, TensorFlow). Knowledge ofgeospatial datasets,DGCA/IN-SPACe regulations, andBVLOS operational standards. EducationBachelor’s or Master’s inRobotics,Mechatronics,Aerospace EngineeringorEmbedded Systems. Publications, research projects, or open-source contributions indrone autonomy,SLAM, orVIOare highly desirable. What We OfferWork at the intersection ofAI, photonics, and autonomous UAVs. End-to-end ownership indrone R&D, from prototype to field deployment. Access toPhoqtek Labs’ GPU and simulation infrastructurefor testing and AI workloads. Opportunity to contribute tocutting-edge aerial autonomy research. Competitive startup compensation with growth.