As a Forward Deployed Engineer at Auterion, you will play a pivotal role in the successful development, integration and deployment of Auterion-powered drone systems.
In this role, you will collaborate closely with the production, hardware engineering, and firmware/software teams, as well as operations, ensuring that every platform transitions smoothly from an airframe concept into a fully validated flying robot ready for deployment. You will serve as the primary technical interface for partners, work closely with them to understand their technical requirements, configure and adapt existing solutions, contribute to core software development, and ensure successful implementation.
This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys combining hands-on technical work with customer collaboration and system-level problem solving, bridging the gap between hardware, firmware, and real-world flight performance.
Responsibilities and Duties
- Operate in a highly hands-on environment with evolving system requirements, rapidly iterating across hardware and software integration challenges.
- Manage software releases and perform firmware flashing and configuration using PX4 or adjacent autopilot ecosystems, including sensor calibration, ESC tuning, and system bring-up.
- Provide deep avionics and airframe expertise, including autopilot tuning, sensor and payload integration, power systems and airworthiness considerations.
- Work independently to troubleshoot integration and flight-readiness issues while collaborating cross-functionally with hardware engineering, firmware/software teams, operations, and QC engineering to escalate complex challenges when required.
- Act as the primary technical authority in customer engagements, translating mission requirements into concrete system architectures and demonstrable solutions built on AuterionOS and Skynode.
- Participate in flight testing activities to validate platform stability, safety, and mission performance, resolving technical issues often directly in the field during customer trials and demonstrations.
- Contribute to technical documentation and continuous improvement of engineering processes.
- Feed customer and market requirements back into product and engineering teams to influence the roadmap of the Auterion stack.
Qualifications and Skills
- Degree in Software, Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace or Robotics Engineering, or a related field
- Working proficiency in C/C++ and Python: you can read, debug and patch existing code and write small tools and scripts
- Comfortable in Linux environments, including the command line, logs, Docker and basic networking (IP, TCP/UDP)
- Hands-on hardware-software integration: system bring-up, wiring and connectors, and embedded interfaces (UART, CAN, I2C, SPI) at a practical level
- Structured troubleshooting: you can isolate whether a problem is software, hardware, configuration or RF, often under time pressure in the field
- Strong communicator: you can explain technical issues clearly to customers and operators, and report findings back to engineering in a way they can act on
- Willing to travel and work on-site with customers, including at test ranges and in field environments
- EU citizenship (required for security clearance and customer requirements)
Nice-to-have
- Experience with PX4 or ArduPilot, MAVLink, QGroundControl or mission planning tools
- UAV flight testing and validation in operational environments
- Experience with datalinks and radio systems
- Previous customer-facing or field engineering role, especially with defense or government customers
- German language skills
Benefits
- Flexible working hours
- Stock Options
- Generous holiday allowance
- Pension plan
- Extended social security package
- Enhanced maternity & paternity leave
- Wellpass membership
About Auterion
We are building the leading software platform for AI-powered autonomous systems for enterprise and government customers. Our team is supporting the most important missions and solving the most challenging problems.
At Auterion, we bring together the sharpest minds who love to solve the hardest problems. Join a vibrant team built on innovation, openness, and excellence, where you’ll be empowered to develop ideas, collaborate across all levels, and make an impact that matters.
Skills Required
- Degree in Software, Aviation, Robotics, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
- Experience with autopilots, ideally PX4, including firmware flashing, vehicle configuration, mission planning, navigation software, and flight validation
- Understanding of control theory and flight control
- Understanding of manufacturing and quality control best practices
- Basic mechanical systems and design experience
- Understanding of electronics principles, including wiring diagrams
- Understanding of embedded communication protocols including CAN, I2C, and SPI
- Understanding of computer networking principles, firmware debugging, and hardware-software integration
- Proficiency in C and C++ development
- Familiarity with Linux-based development and debugging environments
- Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills
- Ability to operate as a technical lead in customer engagements, live demonstrations, and field troubleshooting
- Ability to work independently in fast-paced, evolving technical environments
- Willingness to travel for on-site integration, testing, and deployment
- EU citizenship
- M.Sc. degree
- Familiarity with UAV flight testing, system validation, and real-world operational troubleshooting
- Experience with MAVLink
- Experience with Python
- Experience with Docker
What We Do
At Auterion we care about providing enterprise with an ecosystem of software-defined drones, payloads, and third party applications within a single easy to use platform based on open-source standards. We’re leaders in an open-source movement bigger than ourselves and we’ve been on the same mission for over a decade, since our co-founder Lorenz Meier created Pixhawk, MAVLink, QGC, and PX4 (the world’s most widely used open-source drone autopilot operating system). Our mission is to be the drone platform of choice for enterprise, government, and drone manufacturers while accelerating the drone industry by driving forward open standards to create a common, future-proof roadmap in a thriving, open ecosystem of buyers and vendors. At Auterion, we bring together the sharpest minds who love to solve the hardest problems. Join a vibrant team built on innovation, openness, and excellence, where you’ll be empowered to develop ideas, collaborate across all levels, and make an impact that matters.
