STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionising the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop and manufacture high performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost effective. This provides our operators with a decisive edge in highly contested environments.
We’re focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems—not future promises. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe—today.
Autopilot Engineer (Control)
Berlin
Full-time
Permanent employee
About Us
Your mission
As an Autopilot Engineer you will develop, adjust, and maintain flight controller firmware and autopilot systems that enable stable, reliable, and high-performance control of unmanned platforms under real-world operational constraints.
Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain autopilot firmware for all systems (PX4-based systems)
- Develop and customise our gimbal system for all systems
- Implement and tune low-level control loops (PID, LQR, rate, attitude, and actuator control)
- Work directly with flight controllers (MCU-based systems) and embedded hardware
- Develop and integrate sensor drivers (IMU, barometer, magnetometer, GPS, air data)
- Optimize real-time performance on constrained systems (NuttX / RTOS environments)
- Interface high-level autonomy (ROS2) with low-level autopilot systems (MAVLink / DDS bridges)
- Perform hardware-software integration, calibration, and validation
- Support pre-arm checks, safety systems, and failsafe mechanisms
- Debug issues across firmware, drivers, and hardware layers
- Conduct HIL/SIL testing and real-world flight tests
- Document system architecture, tuning procedures, and validation results
Qualifications
- Integrated Master;s (Dipl. Eng.) or higher in Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE), Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, or Applied Mathematics & Physical Sciences (TEMFE).
- Strong foundation in mathematics and physics (dynamics, kinematics)
- Deep understanding of flight dynamics and control principles
- Hands-on experience with PX4 systems and MAVLink Protocol
- Experience with flight controllers and embedded microcontrollers (MCUs)
- Strong C/C++ programming skills (embedded / real-time systems)
- Experience developing low-level firmware and sensor drivers
- Familiarity with IMU, barometer, magnetometer, GNSS, air data sensors
- Understanding of real-time operating systems (e.g. NuttX)
- Experience with system integration and hardware debugging
- Strong debugging and performance tuning skills
Nice to have
Experience with ArduPilot or PX4 internals (uORB, WorkQueues, modules)
Knowledge of uXRCE-DDS, or ROS2 integration
Experience with hardware bring-up and PCB-level debugging
Familiarity with redundant IMU architectures and sensor voting
Experience with high-shock environments
Understanding of safety-critical systems and failsafe design
MATLAB / Python for control tuning and analysis
If you´re interested in building the future of European Defence with us, and you see yourself reflected in the description above, please send us your CV in English. We´re looking forward to meeting you!