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Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory · 12 hours ago

Uncrewed Aerial System Design and Integration Engineer

Laurel, MD

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

$100K/yr - $228K/yr

3+ years exp

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory is focused on advancing the state-of-the-art in autonomous systems and uncrewed aerial systems. The UAS Design and Integration Engineer will lead the integration of avionics and propulsion systems, conduct system-level test plans, and contribute to the design and validation of UAS platforms.

EducationUniversities

No H1B

Security Clearance Required

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Lead the hands-on integration of avionics, payloads, and propulsion systems, taking novel uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) from CAD models and bare airframes to flight-ready vehicles

Perform the complete mechanical and electrical build of UAS platforms, including composite fabrication and repair, component installation, custom wiring harnesses, and soldering

Serve as a key member of the field test team, responsible for pre-flight checks, ground station operation, system troubleshooting, and post-flight data analysis

Configure, tune, and validate UAS flight control systems, working directly with autopilot software and performing sensor calibrations and GNC gain tuning to optimize flight performance

Contribute to the overall system design by conducting trade studies on components (sensors, actuators, power systems) and providing practical feedback to the design team based on real-world integration and flight experience

Develop and execute system-level test plans to verify and validate vehicle performance against mission requirements

Qualification

UAS designIntegrationAvionics integrationFlight control systemsComposite fabricationCAD softwareFAA Part 107 CertificateTeam collaborationProblem-solvingCommunication skills

Required

Have a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field

Have demonstrated experience of direct, hands-on design, building, integrating, and/or testing of custom uncrewed aerial systems (UAS)

Possess experience in the mechanical and electrical assembly of complex aerospace systems, including proficiency in soldering, wiring, and hardware troubleshooting

Are proficient with modern UAS autopilot systems (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot) and their associated ground control software

Have a strong, practical understanding of core UAS subsystems, including avionics, GNC, propulsion, and electrical systems

Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date 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

Preferred

Have 3+ years of relevant professional experience, with a deep background in real-world flight systems

Hold a current FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and have significant logged flight hours on a variety of UAS platforms

Possess deep expertise in avionics integration, including the selection, installation, and checkout of a wide range of sensors and flight system hardware

Have experience with composite fabrication techniques (e.g., wet layup, pre-preg, bonding) for building and modifying airframes

Demonstrate strong experience in flight control (GNC) gain tuning, especially for non-standard or VTOL aircraft

Are proficient with CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks) for component design and integration planning

Have experience developing CONEMP (Concept of Employment) and mission system designs for UAS

Hold an active TS/SCI level security clearance

Benefits

Generous benefits

Robust education assistance program

Unparalleled retirement contributions

Healthy work/life balance

Comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development

Company

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is a not-for-profit university-affiliated research center (UARC) that provides solutions to complex national security and scientific challenges with technical expertise and prototyping, research and development, and analysis.

Founded in 1942

Laurel, Maryland, USA

5001-10000 employees