UAV System Engineer - Data Operations

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Data Operations team owns the entire data lifecycle behind STARK's AI stack: collection, acquisition, generation, curation, and management. We run our own data-collection campaigns across Europe, evaluate new sensors and platforms, and build the internal data platform that turns raw recordings into ready-to-use datasets. Everything we produce feeds directly into the perception and autonomy systems deployed on STARK's platforms — a real data advantage is built, not bought. The team is scaling up right now: real scope, direct impact, no legacy.

YOUR MISSION

You own our data-collection flights. When the perception team needs a specific dataset — a new camera at a new angle, a lidar over specific terrain, a thermal sensor at dusk — you plan the campaign, configure and tune the platform, fly the mission, and bring clean data home. Our hardware engineer builds the rigs and mounts, our robotics engineer makes the sensors record — you make it all fly, reliably, again and again. This is a role for someone with real stick time and real PX4/ArduPilot depth: not a desk job with occasional field trips, but the other way around.

WHAT YOU WILL DO AT STARK

• Plan and execute field data-collection campaigns across Europe: flight planning, site assessment, pre-flight checks, piloting, logging, and post-flight data offload
• Configure, tune, and troubleshoot PX4/ArduPilot flight stacks for stable, repeatable data-collection flights
• Analyze flight logs to diagnose issues and continuously improve platform reliability
• Operate sensor payloads (cameras, gimbals, lidar, GNSS/IMU) during missions and verify recordings on-site
• Keep the fleet mission-ready: maintenance, repairs, spare parts, battery management, and configuration control
• Work with our hardware and robotics engineers on payload integration — you define what the platform needs to fly well
• Maintain flight logs and campaign documentation so every flight produces usable, traceable data
• Ensure operations comply with aviation regulations (EU drone rules) and internal safety procedures

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE MISSION

• Confident, experienced drone pilot with substantial real-world flight hours (multirotor; fixed-wing a plus), holding an EU A2/A3 certificate or willing to obtain quickly
• Solid practical knowledge of PX4 and/or ArduPilot: configuration, parameter tuning, log analysis, MAVLink basics
• Hands-on experience assembling, repairing, and maintaining drones — comfortable with soldering, wiring, and multimeter debugging
• Experience operating sensor payloads and ground control stations in the field
• Practical, structured, and safety-conscious — you find the loose cable before it becomes a crash
• Willingness to travel regularly for field campaigns and work outdoors in various conditions
• Good communication skills in English (German is a plus)

NICE TO HAVE

• Scripting skills (Python, Bash) for flight log processing and data offload automation
• CAD basics (Fusion 360, SolidWorks) and 3D-printing experience
• Experience with ROS/ROS2 recording setups or companion computers (Jetson, Raspberry Pi)
• Background in FPV, drone racing, RC modeling, competition teams, or maker culture
• Experience with camera settings and image quality trade-offs for data collection
• German driving license class B (field campaigns)