Senior System Engineer

AirQ is looking for an experienced Senior Systems Engineer to take technical ownership of the Cargo 200 Programme and 40 Programme
, a VTOL cargo UAV designed to carry a 200 kg payload and 40 kg payload
.

The role will be responsible for translating mission, customer and regulatory needs into system-level requirements, defining the system architecture, managing interfaces and system budgets, and leading verification and validation activities.

The successful candidate will work across mechanical, avionics and software engineering teams and report directly to the VP of R&D.

• Own and manage the system requirements set, including mission, customer and regulatory requirements.
• Decompose requirements into system, subsystem and interface requirements that are traceable and verifiable.
• Lead system architecture definition and technical trade studies.
• Evaluate propulsion and energy architectures, including electric, hybrid-electric and heavy-fuel solutions.
• Evaluate VTOL configuration, redundancy, cargo-handling and ground-support concepts.
• Define and control internal and external system interfaces (ICDs).
• Maintain system-level technical documentation and configuration baselines.

• Establish and manage mass, centre-of-gravity, electrical power and energy budgets across the complete payload envelope up to 200 kg or 400kg.
• Monitor system-level performance and identify design issues affecting aircraft-level budgets.
• Coordinate interfaces between airframe, propulsion, avionics, flight controls, payload and ground-support systems.
• Lead technical trade studies and provide system-level recommendations to the R&D organisation.
• Coordinate with mechanical, avionics and software engineering teams to maintain system-level consistency.

• Lead system safety activities including Functional Hazard Assessment (FHA), FMEA/FMECA and Fault Tree Analysis (FTA).
• Translate safety assessments into redundancy, monitoring and failsafe requirements.
• Plan and lead Verification & Validation activities from component and rig testing through SIL/HIL, tethered and free-flight testing.
• Define requirements-based pass/fail criteria for verification activities.
• Act as the system-level flight test engineer.
• Prepare test cards, support flight envelope expansion, review flight-test data and lead anomaly resolution.

• Support development of the aircraft airworthiness case with the relevant regulator or end customer.
• Work with applicable standards including UAE GCAA and, where applicable, military airworthiness standards such as STANAG 4671.
• Lead technical design reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR and TRR.
• Own and maintain the technical risk register.
• Act as the technical interface with major subsystem suppliers, including powertrain, batteries, actuators and structural components.
• Support technical discussions with customers and external stakeholders.

• Maintain system descriptions and system-level requirements.
• Maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
• Maintain Verification & Validation matrices.
• Maintain safety assessments and configuration baselines.
• Ensure system requirements and technical documentation remain controlled and traceable.

• Own the technical definition of the Cargo 200 system and 40 system at system level.
• Provide technical direction across mechanical, avionics and software interfaces.
• Lead system-level architecture and technical trade-off decisions.
• Establish and maintain system performance, mass, power and energy budgets.
• Lead system safety, verification and validation activities.
• Provide technical sign-off and direction during…