QA Engineer (UAV)

About Us

STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionising 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 are 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.

About the team

We are a team of QA Engineers responsible for ensuring the highest level of reliability and development quality for UAV systems. Our work focuses on creating gold-standard testing and validation processes for complex engineering solutions in real-world environments. Your role as a UAV QA will be a critical link, ensuring data accuracy and providing a rapid feedback loop between testing and development. We value a systemic approach to defect discovery, meticulous attention to detail, and a drive for technical excellence at every stage of the product lifecycle.

Your mission

As a QA Engineer (UAV), you will guarantee system performance quality directly in the field by performing data integrity checks and ensuring flight missions align with defined success criteria. You will implement log verification processes, conduct deep-dive anomaly analysis to uncover hidden bugs, and develop strategic test plans for functional verification. Your mission is to ensure every bug is identified, classified, and reported to development with a comprehensive root-cause analysis - which is vital for the stability of STARK systems.

Responsibilities

Operational Field Verification

• Validate test runs by performing immediate on-site checks of flight results to ensure data integrity and confirm that the mission aligned with the intended scenario.
• Monitor system health through real-time diagnostics of sensors and aircraft components between flights to guarantee the validity and safety of subsequent test attempts.
• Maintain an immediate feedback loop by documenting critical defects and reporting them to the engineering team directly from the field, deciding if a retest is necessary to confirm bugs.

Log Analysis & Data Quality Assurance

• Perform primary data cleaning by filtering out signal noise, correcting timestamp misalignments between sensors, and removing invalid data points to prepare high-quality datasets.
• Annotate flight segments to label specific phases like EW jamming resistance, automatic landing, or high-G maneuvers, ensuring specific test cases are verified.
• Conduct root cause analysis by investigating log anomalies to distinguish between environmental factors, hardware failures, or software bugs.

Test Design

• Develop strategic test protocols and generate test requests based on technical specifications, defining the environmental conditions required for functional verification.

Qualifications

• Experience with fixed-wing UAVs.
• Experience in flight log analysis.
• Understanding of sensor physics, aerodynamics, and control theory.
• Critical thinking and a systemic approach to solving complex technical problems.
• Ability to work in field conditions (outdoors, laptop-based, variable weather conditions).

Nice to have

• Experience with ArduPilot, or proprietary stacks.
• Experience with flight visualization tools (FlightPlot, PlotJuggler).
• Background in experimental physics or mechanical engineering.