Senior UAV Design Engineer

Location: Bedfordshire, United Kingdom

Company

hirify.global is a defence and security company developing and maintaining advanced systems across aeronautics, weapons, command and control, sensors, and underwater systems.

What you will do

• Own UAV concepts from customer requirements and CONOPS through sizing, design closure, build, and flight testing.
• Run multiple concept studies and lead trade studies covering constraints, weights, aerodynamics, propulsion, mission and energy sizing, and stability and control.
• Plan and analyse bench, wind-tunnel, and flight tests.
• Use flight logs and test data to calibrate sizing methods and design models.
• Develop Python-based conceptual design tools and methods.
• Support team development and help develop junior engineers.

Requirements

• Typically 5+ years of aircraft or UAV design experience, including at least one personally sized design that was built and flown.
• Hands-on experience using flight-test or test data to calibrate and correct design models.
• Strong knowledge across the conceptual design loop: aerodynamics, weights, propulsion, mission performance, and stability and control.
• Experience with conceptual design tools such as OpenVSP, AVL, or XFLR5, plus strong Python skills for automation and data processing.
• Sound judgement regarding model fidelity and clear communication of assumptions and uncertainty.
• Ability to gain SC clearance.

Nice to have

• PX4 or ArduPilot, SITL/HITL simulation, and processing autopilot logs including ULog and MAVLink.
• Experience with VTOL, hybrid, or unconventional configurations.
• Electric, hybrid-electric, or small gas-turbine propulsion integration.
• Mid- to high-fidelity aerodynamics, including panel methods or CFD, surrogate modelling, and optimisation.
• Experience in defence, safety-critical, or regulated environments.

Culture & Benefits

• 30 days of annual leave.
• Workplace pension with an 8% company contribution.
• Private medical insurance, group income protection, and death-in-service insurance.
• Up to 5% share-matching scheme.
• Enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity leave.
• Employment is subject to workforce screening, which may include Baseline Personnel Security checks, National Security Vetting, reference checks, working-rights verification, and a security interview for preferred candidates.