Senior Staff Application Technology Architect - Drone & UAV Applications

Job Description

We are looking for an experienced and visionary Senior Staff Application Architect to serve as Renesas' global technical leader for Drone and UAV applications. This individual will define and drive end-to-end system architectures for next-generation UAV platforms while identifying emerging market opportunities, shaping solution roadmaps, and promoting differentiated semiconductor and software solutions.

You will act as the primary technical authority for Drone & UAV applications, bridging customer requirements, ecosystem needs, aviation regulations, and semiconductor product engineering. Beyond architecture definition, you will help guide solution strategy, ecosystem engagement, reference platform development, and semiconductor adoption across industrial, commercial and defense UAV markets.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and own end-to-end system architectures for industrial and/or defense drone and UAV applications, covering flight control, mission computing, sensing, propulsion, power, connectivity, and ground-control interfaces.
• Translate customer use cases and mission requirements into system, hardware, software, performance, safety, security, and interface requirements.
• Drive HW/SW partitioning across MCUs, MPUs/SoCs, AI accelerators, programmable logic, sensors, connectivity devices, power electronics, and actuators.
• Define architectures for flight control, sensor fusion, navigation, positioning, stabilization, autonomous mission execution, obstacle detection, and collision avoidance.
• Specify and integrate sensing solutions such as IMUs, GNSS/RTK, cameras, radar, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, barometric sensors, and environmental sensors.
• Define compute architectures for edge AI, computer vision, visual-inertial odometry, SLAM, object detection, tracking, and autonomous decision-making.
• Develop robust communication architectures covering command and control, telemetry, payload data, remote identification, vehicle-to-vehicle links, cloud connectivity, and ground-control systems.
• Define power and propulsion architectures, including battery management, power conversion and distribution, motor control, energy optimization, thermal management, and fault monitoring.
• Ensure safety, reliability, cybersecurity, redundancy, fault containment, degraded-operation modes, and fail-safe behaviors are designed into the system architecture.
• Collaborate closely with Product Groups, system architects, hardware, software, AI, connectivity, power, motor-control, security, and validation teams to deliver cohesive semiconductor-based solutions.
• Support product definition and roadmaps by identifying UAV system requirements, technology gaps, architectural trade-offs, and opportunities for differentiated semiconductor and software solutions.
• Guide and review system design, implementation, integration, verification, validation, and flight-test activities across the development lifecycle.
• Engage with drone OEMs, technology partners, research institutes, and ecosystem providers to understand requirements, support architecture discussions, and accelerate design-in activities.
• Support customer engagements by explaining system concepts, design choices, performance trade-offs, integration guidelines, and reference solution capabilities.
• Monitor market trends, evolving regulations, emerging technologies, and competitive solutions, and translate insights into application strategies and architectures.
• Influence product and technology roadmaps by translating evolving UAV market requirements into strategic semiconductor investment opportunities.
• Contribute to reference architectures, evaluation platforms, proofs of concept, application notes, and reusable solution building blocks for multiple UAV platforms.
• Provide technical mentoring, design reviews, and domain guidance to internal engineering, application, field, and product teams.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in drone, UAV, aerospace, robotics, autonomous-system, or embedded-system development, with significant responsibility for system architecture and integration.
• Systems Engineer in the development of industrial and/or defense drone platforms. Proven track record as a System Architect, Chief Engineer, Technical Lead, or Senior
• Hands-on experience contributing to at least one UAV platform through architecture, development, system integration, verification, flight testing, and product deployment.
• Deep understanding of UAV architectures, including flight controllers, mission computers, avionics, propulsion, power systems, payloads, communication links, and ground-control systems.
• Strong knowledge of embedded systems, MCUs, MPUs/SoCs, real-time software, embedded Linux, RTOS platforms, and heterogeneous computing architectures.
• Strong experience in flight control, estimation, sensor fusion, navigation, GNSS/RTK, perception, autonomy, or other safety- and mission-critical UAV functions.

Nice to Have

• Experience with PX4, ArduPilot, ROS 2, MAVLink, DDS, or comparable UAV and robotics software frameworks.
• Familiarity with aviation development and safety practices, EASA or FAA UAV regulations, Remote ID, BVLOS operations, and relevant standards such as DO-178C, DO-254, ARP4754A, or ARP4761.
• Experience with edge AI, computer vision, SLAM, visual-inertial odometry, radar or LiDAR perception, and AI accelerator platforms.
• Background in electric propulsion, motor control, battery management, power conversion, or high-efficiency power electronics for aerial systems.
• Experience with cybersecurity, secure communications, GNSS resilience, anti-jamming, or system-level threat analysis.
• Knowledge of simulation, model-based systems engineering, software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and digital-twin environments.
• Experience supporting third-party assessments, flight approvals, certification, or regulatory compliance activities.

Additional Information

What We Offer

• Opportunity to shape the system architecture of next-generation industrial and/or defense drone solutions.
• High technical ownership and influence on product strategy, architecture, ecosystem development, and customer success.
• Collaborative, international environment with strong semiconductor, embedded-system, AI, power, and connectivity expertise.
• Exposure to leading drone OEMs, technology partners, research organizations, and emerging UAV applications.
• Competitive compensation, flexible working models, and long-term career development opportunities.

Renesas is an embedded semiconductor solution provider driven by its Purpose, To Make Our Lives Easier. With a global team of over 21,000 engineers and problem solvers in more than 30 countries, we offer the opportunity to work on world‑leading technology for Automotive, Industrial, Infrastructure, and IoT, shaping a safer, healthier, greener, and smarter future.

At Renesas, TAGIE is our culture, grounded in being Transparent, Agile, Global, Innovative, and Entrepreneurial. It shapes how we work, grow and deliver on our purpose together. This collaborative spirit and mindset drive our semiconductor technology to transform industries and impact millions of lives.

We believe in rewarding our employees with a competitive benefits package alongside their salary. More information will be provided during the hiring process.

Are you ready to join our team and shape the future with us?

Renesas Electronics is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, committed to supporting diversity and fostering a work environment free of discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. For more information, please read our Diversity & Inclusion Statement.

Renesas Electronics deals with dual-use technology that is subject to U.S. export controls regulations. Under these regulations it may be necessary for Renesas to obtain U.S. government export license prior to release of technology to certain persons. The decision whether or not to file or pursue an export license application is at the sole discretion of Renesas.