UAS Design and Integration Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Are you interested in working on multidisciplinary teams that transform rough ideas into operational uncrewed air systems through design, build, integration, testing, failure analysis, and rapid iteration? Are you interested in applying hands-on engineering skills to develop low-cost autonomous systems and defense mission capabilities that must perform reliably for real users in realistic operational environments? If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL. We are the Intelligent Combat Systems Group, and our mission is to ensure our Nation maintains an operational advantage on the future battlefield through advances in artificial intelligence, autonomy, human-machine teaming, and novel uncrewed aircraft design and testing. We believe the future battlefield will be shaped by intelligent autonomous systems capable of operating with machine precision at machine speed. Our teams bring together engineers, technicians, operators, and analysts to rapidly move from concepts and CAD models to hardware, ground testing, flight testing, lessons learned, redesign, and delivery. Our work has contributed to nationally recognized programs including DARPA Air Combat Evolution (ACE), AFRL Golden Horde, and Air Force Skyborg, demonstrating our impact in advancing autonomous air systems. We are seeking highly motivated engineers who enjoy building and integrating complete systems to solve urgent real-world problems. Our team is entrepreneurial and multidisciplinary. We value working prototypes, disciplined testing, candid communication, collaboration, and teammates who stay engaged until the system performs in the hands of the user. We especially value engineers who take ownership of failures, learn from them quickly, and improve the complete system rather than optimizing only their individual component.

Requirements

Have a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering field.
Have demonstrated professional, military, or substantial hands-on project experience designing, building, integrating, and testing custom uncrewed aerial systems, aircraft, robotics, or other complex hardware systems deployed for users, operators, customers, or mission demonstrations.
Have experience owning technical solutions through build, testing, troubleshooting, and iterative improvement—not solely analysis or design handoff.
Have experience designing, integrating, operating, and troubleshooting complex mechanical and electrical aerospace, robotic, or prototype systems.
Are proficient with modern UAS autopilot systems (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot) and their associated ground control software.
Have a strong understanding of UAS subsystems, including avionics, propulsion, GNC, electrical systems, payload integration, and hardware interfaces.
Communicate effectively across mechanical, electrical, software, test, and operations disciplines, and make design decisions that support the performance of the integrated system.
Enjoy working hands-on in laboratories, machine shops, and field environments, and are comfortable moving between engineering design, prototype fabrication, system integration, testing, and failure investigation.
Hold an active Secret security clearance and can ultimately obtain a TS/SCI level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

Have 3+ years of relevant professional experience with integrated flight systems, UAS development, or prototype hardware.
Have led or made significant technical contributions to multiple prototype build-test-learn cycles and can describe key failures, corrective actions, and resulting improvements.
Hold a current FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and have significant flight experience across multiple UAS platforms.
Possess extensive experience integrating avionics, including the selection, installation, checkout, and troubleshooting of sensors, flight computers, communications equipment, and other flight hardware.
Demonstrate strong experience tuning flight control systems (GNC), particularly for unconventional or VTOL aircraft.
Are proficient with CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks) for component design, packaging, integration planning, and rapid design iteration.
Have experience designing systems for low-cost manufacturing, rapid repair, field modification, maintainability, or low-volume production.
Have supported field testing or flight operations where hardware readiness, logistics, schedule pressure, operators, and evolving prototype hardware had to be managed simultaneously.
Have experience developing CONEMPs (Concepts of Employment) and mission system architectures for UAS.
Hold an active TS/SCI security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Responsibilities

Own the design and integration of UAS prototypes from concept development and trade studies through build, laboratory checkout, ground and flight testing, failure investigation, redesign, and delivery to test teams and end users.
Lead and participate in the hands-on assembly and integration of UAS platforms, including composite fabrication and repair, component installation, custom wiring harness fabrication, soldering, propulsion systems, sensors, and payload integration.
Translate mission needs and operational constraints into practical, low-cost vehicle, payload, avionics, propulsion, and ground support solutions while balancing performance, mass, power, cost, schedule, reliability, safety, maintainability, and field repairability.
Collaborate across mechanical, electrical, software, autonomy, test, and operations teams to ensure design decisions support the performance of the complete integrated system rather than an isolated subsystem.
Design and integrate flight control systems, including autopilot configuration, sensor calibration, and GNC tuning to optimize flight performance across conventional and nontraditional UAS configurations.
Plan, coordinate, and execute laboratory, ground, and flight testing; analyze results; identify root causes; and drive iterative design improvements based on test data and operational feedback.
Communicate technical risks, design issues, integration challenges, and schedule impacts early, and help drive corrective actions through the next build, test, or field event.
Produce practical documentation that enables teammates to build, test, operate, maintain, repair, and improve the system, including as-built configurations, test procedures, checklists, and lessons learned.