{"id":2628616,"url":"https://alion.io/job/cdds-control-flight-test-engineer","title":"Control & Flight Test Engineer","company":{"id":670217,"name":"CDDS","domain":"cdds.ai","url":"https://alion.io/company/cdds","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Join","truth_index":null},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":null,"employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Schlieren, Switzerland"],"countries":["CH"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":77000,"max_usd":172000,"period":"year","method":"role_country_seniority_unknown","sample_n":25},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Computer Vision","optional":false},{"name":"Linux","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Sensor Fusion","optional":false},{"name":"ArduPilot","optional":true},{"name":"Gazebo","optional":true},{"name":"Isaac Sim","optional":true},{"name":"ROS2","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-13T14:20:38Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-13","last_verified_at":"2026-10-16T02:07:07Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":2,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":2},"description":"You want to help build Europe’s resilience? You want to protect people and critical infrastructure - ultimately saving the lives of thousands?\nYou want to work at the frontier of high-performance autonomous systems?\nJoin us at CDDS to bring next-generation of control, state-estimation and computer cision algorithms into high-speed kinetic interceptor drones.\nCDDS specializes in developing low-collateral kinetic interceptors designed to neutralize malicious drones (Mavics, FPV racers and fast fixed wings). Our solutions are built for precision and safety, minimizing risk to surroundings while effectively countering unauthorized or threatening unmanned aerial systems. We work at the cutting edge of counter-drone technology, delivering reliable protection for critical assets and environments.\nTasks\nYour Mission\nWe are looking for an exceptional Control & Flight Test Engineer to drive the control, vision, hardware and operational stack of our interceptor drone platform to the next level. You will test, tune and develop state-estimation, control and vision algorithms that directly determine successful target interception. You will act as the eyes and ears of the R&D team on customer demos and field tests abroad. You will gain a big insights in all our systems as you have to make sure that they are working such that it can be deployed to a user.\nYou will work closely with all teams, meaning control, vison, software and hardware experts - ensuring your and the teams algorithms translate directly into field performance.\nCore Responsibilities\nDesigning and validate low-latency guidance and control strategies\n\nHelp to push our multi-sensor fusion algorithms for state estimation\n\nVerify and test new computer vision approaches\n\nTest and Validate Low-Level Control Software and Hardware Changes\n\nRaise risks and issues you see on the field to the R&D team\n\nAnalyse data, evaluate performance and failure modes of our full tactical unit while doing intercepts\n\nRequirements\nWe are looking for people who thrive on mathematical depth, rapid iteration, and hands-on flight testing. You take full ownership of field test - Aligning with the R&D team and your Safety Pilot.\nYour Profile\nPhD or MSc in Robotics, Control Engineering, Electrical Engineering or similar field with strong academic record (from ETH Zürich or equivalent)\n\nStrong analytical mindset with the ability to derive, evaluate, and validate a complex system\n\nGood understanding of classical & optimal control, Kalman filtering, state estimation, and linear algebra (rotations and transformations in SE(3))\n\nProficiency in Python and Linux\n\nComfortable in fast-paced, high-ownership environments with long hours when the mission demands it\n\nOpenness to travel often\n\nNice-to-Have\nROS2, PX4, Ardupilot and real-time robotics software\n\nFast-moving object interception / high-dynamics control\n\nExperience with Simulation Frameworks like Gazebo or Isaac Sim\n\nBackground in drone flight testing or competitive robotics\n\nBenefits\nWhy CDDS\nDirect impact on a mission-critical technology shaping Europe’s security landscape\n\nFast-moving startup environment with high ownership\n\nWork with a highly technical, ambitious, and hands-on team\n\nReal-world testing, deployments, and customer demonstrations\n\nAttractive compensation\n\nDetails\nLocation: Schlieren (Zürich), on-site\nStart date: ASAP\nEnvironment: High-impact deep-tech startup working on real deployments\nIf your interested in the position please apply via this form.\nBefore uploading your cover letter, please merge your last transcript and the cover letter into one pdf and upload it together as one file.","description_format":"text","description_chars":3633,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"master","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Defense AI"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-15T15:38:58Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":86,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.86,"p_room":1,"age_days":2,"expected_fill_days":46,"reasons":["conf:3","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-16T05:39:41Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/cdds-control-flight-test-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/cdds-control-flight-test-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-16T05:39:41Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":3010,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-17T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":670217},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=670217"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fcdds-control-flight-test-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fcdds-control-flight-test-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fcdds-control-flight-test-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/cdds-control-flight-test-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fcdds-control-flight-test-engineer"}]}