MAVLink & Autopilot Engineer (ArduPilot)

Location: Paris, France; on-site

Company

hirify.global is an air defense company developing AI-guided interceptors against drones and cruise missiles, together with the software platform that powers them.

What you will do

• Design and maintain MAVLink communication pipelines, custom messages, dialects, parsers, routers, and middleware between onboard systems, ground control stations, and ground infrastructure.
• Customize ArduPlane and ArduCopter for fixed-wing and multi-rotor platforms, including flight modes, mission logic, failsafes, navigation patterns, and sensor and payload integrations.
• Integrate autopilot systems with AI inference engines, sensor fusion modules, mission management systems, and companion computers such as Raspberry Pi and Jetson.
• Collaborate with GNC engineers to implement autonomous behaviours including waypoint following, target tracking, dynamic re-tasking, and terminal-phase logic.
• Lead ground, bench, hardware-in-the-loop, software-in-the-loop, and live flight testing; analyze flight logs and resolve in-flight anomalies.
• Document the architecture and interfaces, enforce coding and versioning practices, support operational deployments, and mentor junior engineers.

Requirements

• 4–5 years of experience in embedded systems, UAS development, or robotics, focused on autopilot systems and MAVLink.
• Hands-on experience with ArduPlane and/or ArduCopter on real airframes, not only in simulation.
• Deep expertise in MAVLink message design, dialect customization, routing, parser development, and integration.
• Experience integrating companion computers with flight controllers in operational or near-operational UAS.
• Experience with both fixed-wing and multi-rotor platforms is required.
• Strong C++ and Python skills, plus experience with ArduPilot firmware customization, HIL/SIL testing, flight-log analysis, serial/UART, USB, network MAVLink links, and Git workflows.

Nice to have

• Experience in defense, dual-use, or operational UAS environments.
• Experience with Gazebo, JSBSim, or RealFlight.

Culture & Benefits

• Work across both software development and live flight validation.
• Contribute to systems deployed during operational demonstrations and exercises across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
• Collaborate with embedded, software, and GNC engineering teams.