Lead UAV Systems Engineer (Aerospace)

TL;DR

Lead UAV Systems Engineer (Aerospace): Owning the full engineering development cycle for unmanned aerial systems from concept to flight testing with an accent on rapid prototyping and autonomous decision-making. Focus on designing airframe structures, integrating avionic stacks, and leading field flight test campaigns in a high-stakes defense environment.

Location: Must be based in Munich, Germany

Company

hirify.global is a defense technology company designing and manufacturing high-performance, software-defined autonomous systems to bolster the technological edge of NATO Allies.

What you will do

• Own the full engineering development cycle for UAV prototypes, including concept, design, fabrication, and integration.
• Make autonomous technical decisions on airframe structures, avionic stacks, and ground support equipment.
• Lead field flight test campaigns, including go/no-go decisions and rapid root-cause diagnosis.
• Coordinate across multidisciplinary engineering groups to resolve design conflicts independently.
• Convert informal engineering knowledge into documented, repeatable processes for the team.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers on design reviews and technical problem-solving.

Requirements

• Must be based in Munich or willing to work onsite.
• Demonstrable track record of owning a full engineering development cycle for at least one UAV/UGV platform.
• Extensive hands-on experience with composites, mechanical assemblies, robotics, and embedded hardware integration.
• Proven ability to perform root-cause diagnostics and drive corrective actions independently.
• Experience operating autonomously across multidisciplinary teams under schedule pressure.
• English proficiency required for all documentation and communication.

Nice to have

• Active A2/A3 drone pilot certification.
• CAD expertise in Fusion 360 or SolidWorks.
• Deep familiarity with flight controller ecosystems like PX4, ArduPilot, or Betaflight.
• Experience with fixed-wing platforms.
• Background in competitive motorsport or workshop-based program ownership.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge autonomous systems for European defense.
• High-autonomy environment where engineers own their technical approach.
• Direct impact on the development of mass-scalable, deployable hardware.
• Collaborative, workshop-focused culture emphasizing rapid iteration and data-driven design.