Systems Engineer, Robotics Integration

eyes

Atop is building the operating platform for multi-drone warfare, a battle-proven system that augments, deploys, and orchestrates autonomous drone fleets across any mission, any environment, and any vendor. With over 500,000 hours of frontline operational use and TRL-9 validation, our software is not a prototype. It runs in combat, every day, shaping outcomes in some of the most contested and complex environments on earth.

We unify drone control, edge-AI processing, and mission execution into a single operational loop, from detection to decision to strike. Our platform gives a single operator the ability to command and coordinate an entire fleet in real time: persistent aerial surveillance, automated target recognition, shared tactical picture, and seamless handoff from ISR to kinetic response, without manual delay.

We are expanding our US engineering team in the New York metropolitan area. Our office is easily accessible from New York City. If you want to work on technology that matters, not in a lab, but validated in the field, this is the role for you.

We are looking for a Systems Engineer with a strong hybrid profile, equally comfortable designing a PCB schematic and writing embedded firmware, to own the full integration lifecycle of drones, robotics platforms, and third‑party systems into the eyes

Atop platform.

This is a hands‑on, end‑to‑end role at the intersection of hardware and software. You will design electronics and circuits where needed, write the embedded code that makes systems talk, integrate third‑party payloads and sensors, work directly with drone OEMs and component vendors, and validate everything in lab, simulation, and field environments. You won't just connect systems; you'll own them from first bring‑up to deployed capability.

• Lead the integration of drone platforms, robotics systems, sensors, payloads, and third‑party hardware into the eyes
  
  Atop platform ecosystem
• Design hardware solutions: schematics, PCB layouts, power systems, and signal conditioning circuits, to support new integrations and custom interface requirements
• Write embedded firmware and low‑level software to enable communication between hardware components, flight controllers, and the eyes
  
  Atop C2 layer
• Develop integration scripts, test harnesses, and automated validation tools to verify system reliability across platforms and configurations
• Interface directly with drone OEMs, hardware vendors, and payload manufacturers, evaluating components, managing supplier relationships, and resolving technical issues under field conditions
• Debug complex, cross‑domain issues spanning electronics, firmware, networking, communication protocols, and operator workflows
• Define and execute hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) and system‑level test plans in lab, simulation, and real‑world flight environments
• Build and maintain integration infrastructure, tooling, build processes, and documentation that scale as the platform and drone fleet expand
• Collaborate closely with software, mechanical, and product teams to translate operational requirements into reliable, field‑ready capabilities

• You have experience with drones, UAVs, or autonomous robotic systems, in defense, industrial, or field‑tested environments
• You’ve worked with embedded platforms such as STM
  32, ESP
  32, NVIDIA Jetson, Pixhawk, or similar
• You’ve led end‑to‑end integrations from first hardware bring‑up through field validation and production release
• You have experience with RF systems, wireless communication protocols, or video telemetry links used in UAS
• You’ve used ECAD tools (KiCad, Altium, or equivalent) and have shipped PCB designs to production
• You’re comfortable with MAVLink, ROS, or similar robotics/drone middleware
• You’ve managed hardware vendor or drone OEM relationships under tight timelines

• Dental Insurance
• Health Insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision Insurance

Compensation: $180,000 – $220,000 base salary