Drone Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Sep 27, 2026. First seen by Alion on Sep 11, 2026.
Modern Intelligence builds Sovereign, targeting software for unmanned systems. Manufacturers install it on UAVs, USVs, UUVs, and other unmanned vehicles. Sovereign runs on the vehicle’s computer. It detects, classifies, and tracks targets from the onboard cameras, keeps identity when the picture breaks up, and can run terminal guidance into impact. It keeps working when GPS is out and the radio is jammed.
We’ve held Department of War contracts, including work with Air Force Special Operations and SOCOM.
We’ve raised more than $12 million from Bedrock, Vine, Contrary, Air Street, Caffeinated, Champion Hill, Swell, Myelin, and others.
Details
We are looking for someone who loves building and flying drones. You will be working with many many drones from a wide variety of companies. You will be responsible for keeping a highly heterogeneous fleet of drones up and running, while also playing a key role in integrating and evaluating our autonomy software on new platforms. We expect you to solve any problem that comes up in the drone’s flight controller, the electrical systems, or any physical problem.
We are working with the job title of Drone Engineer, but we are open to using other titles that may be more suitable to the candidate: e.g. Aerospace Engineer (with appropriate background), Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, etc.
Requirements
- Experience with both fixed wing and copter style drones.
- Direct experience with ArduPilot or Betaflight.
- Willingness to relocate to Austin, Texas.
- Willingness to travel.
- Must be a U.S. person (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)). This role works on export-controlled technology.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with both ArduPilot and Betaflight, including ELRS/CRSF radio links.
- Experience with less common drone configurations such as tail sitters, VTOL, etc.
- Experience with UGVs and USVs.
- Has built their own drones.
- Experience with CAD and 3D printing.
- Degree in one of: Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering (or equivalent), or Computer Science.
Nice to have
- Experience with PX4.
- Experience with autonomy.
- Willingness to travel to Ukraine.