Strong fit for aerospace engineers with hands-on UAS experience who can design and optimize drone systems for defense applications, particularly those with a startup mindset and comfort in field operations.
Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.
Original posting from Alta Ares via Ashby
ABOUT ALTA ARES
Alta Ares is an air defense Neoprime. We build AI-guided interceptors to counter drones and cruise missiles, along with the software platform that powers them.
Our customers are NATO-aligned militaries and defense institutions, and our systems are regularly deployed during live exercises and operational demonstrations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Founded in 2024, we have grown to 90 people, raised over $60M, and increased revenue 40× this year. We are now entering a new phase of international expansion, industrial scaling, fundraising, and product development.
ROLE & MISSION
AVIONICS ARCHITECTURE & HARDWARE DESIGN
- Design, develop, and integrate avionics and electronic subsystems for high-performance unmanned aerial systems
- Own schematic capture, PCB layout reviews, and component selection for flight-critical electronics, with a strong focus on size, weight, power, and cost
- Define the electrical architecture, power distribution, and harnessing for compact, high-dynamic airframes
- Select and integrate flight controllers, navigation sensors (IMU, GNSS, magnetometer, air data), data links, and onboard compute
- Design for manufacturability and reliability, from early prototypes through to series production
Integration, Test & Validation
- Lead bench, hardware-in-the-loop, and environmental testing of avionics subsystems
- Integrate electronics into the airframe and support full system integration with the software and guidance teams
- Diagnose and resolve hardware, power, signal integrity, and EMI/EMC issues
- Support ground and flight test campaigns, analyse test data, and feed results back into rapid design iterations
Suppliers & Industrialisation
- Work with component suppliers to secure quality, cost, and lead times
- Manage component obsolescence, second-sourcing, and supply chain resilience for critical parts
- Produce and maintain design documentation, BOMs, interface control documents, and test procedures
- Support qualification activities against relevant aerospace and military standards
Cross-functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Software, Guidance & Navigation, Mechanical, Product and Flight Test teams in short iteration loops
- Contribute to design reviews, trade studies, and product roadmap decisions
- Support field deployments and live demonstrations with customers when required
REQUIREMENTS
CANDIDATE PROFILE
- MSc or equivalent in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
- 3-8 years of experience in avionics, embedded hardware, or electronics design, ideally on UAS, aircraft, missiles, or other airborne systems
- Hands-on experience taking boards from schematic to tested flight hardware
- Solid understanding of power electronics, motor control, RF and data links, and sensor interfaces
- Familiarity with autopilot ecosystems (PX4, ArduPilot, or proprietary) is a strong plus
Skills & Qualities
- Hands-on, lab-oriented mindset: at ease with an oscilloscope, a soldering iron, and a test bench
- Rigorous, structured problem solver able to deliver under tight timelines
- Able to make pragmatic trade-offs between performance, cost, and schedule
- Clear technical communicator in documentation and design reviews
- High integrity, discretion, and understanding of security culture
- Fluent English; French is a plus
Nice to Have
- Experience in a defense startup, neoprime, or fast-moving hardware environment
- Knowledge of MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-810, DO-160, or equivalent standards
- Embedded firmware experience (C/C++) on STM32 or similar microcontrollers
- Experience integrating edge compute modules (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson) and high-bandwidth data links
- Exposure to counter-UAS or air defense systems
- Willingness to travel to test ranges and field sites
Source: Alta Ares careers (Ashby)