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.
ABOUT THE TEAM
As a Datalink Integration & Test Engineer , you will play a key role in bringing together complex software systems that power our
next generation of autonomous platforms.
YOUR MISSION
Your mission is to take established, proven MANET (mobile ad-hoc network) radio systems and make them work — reliably, repeatably,
and under real-world constraints — inside our unmanned platforms. In this role you focus on the datalinks for our close- and
short-range loitering effector and ISR systems, where the link has to stay solid through fast-moving, time-critical mission
profiles in contested airspace. You own the path from "commercial radio in a box" to "integrated, tested, mission-ready datalink."
This is a hands-on integration and test role at the boundary of RF hardware, networking, and platform architecture. You own two
connections that have to hold up when it counts: the command-and-control link between UAV and ground control station (GCS), and
the mesh that lets multiple effectors operate as a coordinated swarm. You aren't just wiring in a radio; you are certifying that
command and control survives contact with the real world, and giving the engineering team the hard data to trust it.
RESPONSIBILITIES
INTEGRATION
* Integrate established MANET / mesh radio systems (e.g., Silvus StreamCaster, Persistent Systems Wave Relay, Rajant, Radionor)
into STARK's platform architecture across the mechanical, power, RF, and network/software interfaces.
* Define and implement the integration approach for each datalink — antenna placement, RF front-end, IP networking, and
interfacing with the autopilot and payload stack.
* Integrate and configure the UAV-to-GCS command-and-control link, ensuring reliable telemetry, control, and video across the
full mission profile through to the terminal phase.
* Set up and tune multi-node mesh topologies that enable UAV-to-UAV connectivity and coordinated swarm operation of multiple
effectors, including relay and self-healing behaviour.
* Work closely with hardware, autopilot, and systems engineering to ensure the communication subsystem is correctly matched to
the platform and its constraints.
TEST & VALIDATION
* Design and execute structured test campaigns — bench, hardware-in-the-loop, and field trials — to validate datalink behaviour.
* Characterise link performance across throughput, latency, range, mesh routing behaviour, and resilience under interference and
degraded conditions.
* Validate swarm behaviour at the network level — multi-node mesh scaling, UAV-to-UAV and UAV-to-GCS connectivity, relay hops,
and graceful degradation as nodes join, move, or drop out.
* Build up repeatable test procedures and instrumentation, and produce clear, traceable documentation of setups, methods, and
results.
COLLABORATION & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
* Translate field and test findings into concrete integration and configuration improvements.
* Support trade-offs and selection decisions between candidate datalink systems with measured, defensible data.
* Contribute to the evolution of STARK's communication integration standards and test methodology.
QUALIFICATIONS
EXPERIENCE & CERTIFICATIONS
* Professional background in Electronics / Communications Engineering or a comparable technical field.
* Hands-on experience integrating MANET / mesh radio or tactical datalink systems into a larger platform or system.
* Practical test and measurement experience (spectrum analysers, RF link testing, network diagnostics).
* Must be a citizen of a NATO member state (due to export control and security regulations).
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
* Solid grounding in RF fundamentals and antenna/propagation basics.
* Strong understanding of IP networking, routing, and the OSI model as it applies to mesh and point-to-point links.
* Comfortable working in Linux networking environments and debugging at the hardware/software boundary.
* Structured, disciplined approach to test design, execution, and documentation.
PROFILE
* Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
* Analytical, thorough, and outcome-oriented — you want the integration to be clean and the results to hold up, not just to work
once.
NICE TO HAVE
* Hands-on experience with specific MANET vendor ecosystems and their management/config tooling.
* Knowledge of tactical datalink bands, waveforms, FHSS, and encryption.
* Familiarity with military communication standards and secure over-the-air transmission.
* Scripting / embedded experience (Python, C++) for test automation and instrumentation.
For more details please reach out to
Sally Grütte-Pad, Interim Lead TA Partner via talent@stark-defence.com
Deadline: Sep 3Posted: Aug 4
