Intern - Hardware Engineer (all genders)
TLDR
Contribute to innovative unmanned systems development by validating software performance and reliability through comprehensive testing in real-world conditions.
About Us
STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionizing the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost-effective. This provides our operators with a decisive edge in highly contested environments.
We’re focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems, not future promises. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe, today.
Your mission
This is not a traditional QA role. We are looking for an Embedded Software Test Engineer to ensure the reliability, performance, and safety of our embedded systems in real-world conditions. You will operate at the intersection of software and hardware, designing and executing robust test strategies that push our firmware and systems to their limits.
You will work closely with firmware, electronics, and systems engineers to validate that software behaves predictably under stress, in simulation, and in the field. From automated test frameworks to hardware-in-the-loop environments, you will be responsible for ensuring our systems perform flawlessly when it matters most.
If you are someone who enjoys breaking systems to make them better, thrives in hands-on lab and field environments, and takes ownership of quality in safety-critical systems, this is your command center.
Responsibilities
The Strategy: You will design and implement comprehensive test plans, cases, and procedures based on functional requirements and system specifications, ensuring full coverage across embedded systems.
The Automation: You will build and maintain automated testing frameworks and scripts using Python and Robot Framework, enabling scalable and repeatable validation processes.
The Simulation: You will configure and operate HIL, SIL, and MIL environments to validate software behavior under realistic and edge-case scenarios.
The Debugging: You will investigate complex hardware-software interactions using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers (CAN, SPI, I2C), identifying root causes and driving resolution.
The Quality Loop: You will identify, document, and track defects, working closely with firmware engineers to validate fixes and ensure robust regression testing.
The Compliance: You will ensure that testing processes align with relevant industry standards such as ISO 26262, IEC 62304, or DO-178C where applicable.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Strong programming skills in Python and experience building automated test frameworks.
Experience with embedded systems, including RTOS or bare-metal environments.
Familiarity with hardware-software integration and debugging using lab equipment.
Experience with tools such as Git and Jira.
Who You Are
You are a hands-on embedded systems engineer with a strong testing mindset, comfortable working across software and hardware, building automated test frameworks in Python, and debugging real-world systems with lab equipment while proactively identifying and solving performance and reliability issues.
If you’re interested in building the future of European Defence with us, and you see yourself reflected in the description above, please send us your CV in English. We’re looking forward to meeting you!
STARK is a defense technology company that designs, develops, and manufactures high-performance unmanned systems to enhance the deployment of autonomous technologies across various domains. Our focus is on delivering software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost-effective solutions that give NATO Allies a decisive advantage in contested environments, addressing today's rising threats.