Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Unmanned Systems Engineer

💰 $ - $

EngineeringAerospaceRoboticsAutonomous Systems

🎯 Role Definition

The Unmanned Systems Engineer designs, integrates, tests, and fields unmanned aerial, ground, or maritime platforms and their autonomy stacks. This role spans systems engineering, software and hardware integration, flight and field testing, safety/compliance, and cross-functional coordination with product management, manufacturing, and operations. The engineer is expected to deliver production-ready solutions that meet mission requirements, optimize performance, and maintain regulatory and quality standards.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Systems Engineer / Associate Robotics Engineer
  • Avionics Technician or Flight Test Technician transitioning to engineering
  • Controls / Software Engineer with experience in embedded systems or robotics

Advancement To:

  • Senior Unmanned Systems Engineer
  • Lead Systems Engineer / Principal Systems Engineer (Autonomy)
  • Flight Test Lead or Engineering Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Autonomy Software Engineer
  • Payload Integration Engineer
  • Safety & Compliance Engineer
  • Product Manager (UAS/Robotics)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead systems engineering for unmanned platforms by defining system requirements, block diagrams, interface control documents (ICDs) and verification/validation strategies that align with mission objectives and program milestones.
  • Architect and integrate autonomy software stacks (perception, localization, planning, control) with real-time flight control systems, ensuring deterministic performance for mission-critical operations.
  • Design and implement flight control algorithms, guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) solutions using tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, C++, and Python; tune control loops and integrate state estimation filters (e.g., EKF, UKF).
  • Manage hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) test environments to validate avionics, sensors, actuators, and autonomy components prior to fielding; develop automated regression test suites.
  • Perform component and systems-level integration of payloads (optical, RF, lidar, sensor fusion modules), power systems, and communications hardware; ensure mechanical, electrical, and software interfaces are robust and maintainable.
  • Plan, coordinate, and execute flight test campaigns, including test plans, risk assessments, telemetry logging, anomaly triage, post-flight analysis and reporting to validate performance against requirements.
  • Develop and maintain configuration management, version control, and build systems for embedded firmware and autonomy code (Git, CI/CD pipelines); drive reproducible builds and repeatable verification.
  • Collaborate with firmware, electronics, and mechanical engineering teams to design avionics PCBs, select appropriate sensors and microcontrollers, and mitigate EMI/thermal/structural risks for unmanned platforms.
  • Lead failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), hazard analyses, and system safety assessments to produce mitigations, operational procedures, and test cases that reduce mission risk and improve reliability.
  • Ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks and industry standards (FAA Part 107, RTCA DO-178/DO-254 considerations, ISO 9001, ISO 21384 UAS standards) and prepare documentation necessary for certification or operational approval.
  • Optimize system performance for endurance, range, payload capacity, and autonomy robustness through trade studies, simulation, and iterative prototyping.
  • Implement secure communication architectures and cyber-resilience measures for command-and-control (C2) links, telemetry, and payload data channels; coordinate with security teams to meet organizational policies.
  • Troubleshoot complex field failures and lead root-cause investigations, producing corrective action plans and design improvements to prevent recurrence in production units.
  • Develop and maintain digital twins, physics-based simulations, and synthetic test scenarios to validate behavior in edge cases and extreme environmental conditions before live testing.
  • Mentor junior engineers and technicians, provide technical leadership during design reviews, and maintain cross-functional alignment across product, manufacturing, and operations teams.
  • Drive continuous improvement of production test procedures, acceptance criteria, and field-support documentation to lower build defects and reduce time-to-deploy for unmanned systems.
  • Integrate and validate autonomy with mission planning and ground control systems (GCS), ensuring robust operator interfaces, mission scripting, and telemetry visualization for safe operations.
  • Lead sensor calibration procedures (IMU, magnetometer, camera, lidar) and data pipelines for sensor fusion algorithms, ensuring accuracy and repeatability across platforms and deployments.
  • Prepare technical proposals, statements of work, and cost/effort estimates for program bids; translate customer operational requirements into achievable engineering milestones.
  • Manage subcontractor and supplier relationships for specialty components (sensors, RF modems, propulsion systems), define test acceptance criteria, and perform supplier quality audits.
  • Define field maintenance strategies, spares provisioning, and logistics for deployed fleets to maintain high mission availability and rapid turnaround in austere environments.
  • Develop mission-specific autonomy behaviors (waypoint sequencing, geofencing, autonomous takeoff/landing, object avoidance) and validate performance under varying environmental and sensor conditions.
  • Maintain thorough design, test, and operations documentation including ICDs, user manuals, troubleshooting guides, and flight logs to support sustainment and knowledge transfer.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc mission planning and data analysis tasks for field teams, translating operational feedback into engineering improvements.
  • Contribute to the organization's unmanned systems roadmap by identifying technical risks, capacity constraints, and investment priorities.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders (product, compliance, manufacturing, operations) to translate mission needs into implementation plans and prioritized backlogs.
  • Participate in sprint planning, design reviews, and agile ceremonies; provide estimations, technical debt assessments, and risk mitigations to keep delivery on schedule.
  • Provide training and hands-on mentorship to operators and maintenance technicians on system operation, safety procedures, and troubleshooting workflows.
  • Maintain and evolve simulation and test tools so new hires and cross-functional partners can reproduce test scenarios and verify fixes quickly.
  • Coordinate logistics for field trials including permits, range scheduling, safety briefings, and data collection protocols.
  • Act as a technical liaison for customers and external stakeholders during acceptance tests and delivery handovers, addressing technical questions and ensuring expectations are met.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Systems engineering: requirements development, ICDs, verification & validation, FMEA and system safety analysis.
  • Flight control and GNC: design and tuning of control laws, state estimation (EKF/UKF), and guidance algorithms.
  • Autonomy & perception: experience building or integrating perception stacks (computer vision, lidar, sensor fusion) and path planning.
  • Embedded software development: C/C++ for real-time systems, microcontroller firmware, RTOS familiarity.
  • Scripting and data tools: Python for testing, data processing, and automation; MATLAB/Simulink for modeling and control design.
  • Simulation & HIL/SIL: building and executing SIL/HIL testbeds, digital twins, and physics-based simulations.
  • Avionics & electronics: PCB-level understanding, power systems, sensor selection, and debugging with oscilloscopes/logic analyzers.
  • Networking & communications: secure telemetry, C2 link design, RF fundamentals, and bandwidth/latency optimization.
  • DevOps for embedded: Git, CI/CD pipelines, automated test frameworks, and artifact/version management.
  • Flight testing & instrumentation: telemetry logging, instrumentation setup, flight data analysis, and safety-of-flight procedures.
  • Regulatory & compliance knowledge: FAA Part 107 operations, RTCA/ISO standards awareness, and experience producing compliance documentation.
  • ROS/ROS2, PX4, ArduPilot, or other middleware experience for robotics/autonomy frameworks.
  • Cloud & data pipelines: experience with cloud-based storage, telemetry ingestion, and post-mission analytics is a plus.
  • Cybersecurity fundamentals for embedded systems and secure firmware update mechanisms.

Soft Skills

  • Strong verbal and written communication: able to produce clear technical documentation, reports, and present findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Cross-functional collaboration: proven ability to coordinate with product management, manufacturing, operations, and external partners.
  • Problem-solving and troubleshooting: analytical mindset for diagnosing complex system interactions under time constraints.
  • Attention to detail and systems thinking: balance big-picture architecture with component-level robustness and producibility.
  • Adaptability and resilience: comfortable with iterative prototyping, field conditions, and evolving requirements.
  • Leadership and mentorship: experience coaching junior engineers and guiding technical choices in development teams.
  • Time and priority management: able to juggle flight test schedules, release milestones, and production support with clear prioritization.
  • Customer-oriented mindset: empathetic to operational needs and focused on delivering reliable, maintainable solutions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, or a related technical field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree or higher in Aerospace, Robotics, Controls, Autonomous Systems, or Systems Engineering.
  • Advanced coursework or certifications in avionics, embedded systems, or safety-critical software.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Robotics / Autonomous Systems
  • Electrical or Electronic Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering (with controls/avionics focus)
  • Computer Science (with embedded/real-time systems focus)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–10+ years working on unmanned platforms, robotics, or avionics systems.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of hands-on experience integrating and flight-testing unmanned systems (UAV/UGV/USV).
  • Demonstrated experience with autonomy development, HIL/SIL testbeds, and production-scale hardware/software integration.
  • Experience operating in regulated environments and producing documentation for compliance, certification, or operational approvals.
  • Track record of leading technical projects, mentoring teams, and delivering mission-capable systems to field operations.
Explore More Careers