UAV Robotics/Mechatronics Engineer (UAV Pilot & Flight Operations)

Fiducial

OPENING: WE CANNOT PROVIDE VISA SPONSORSHIP DETAILS Preferred starting date: 1st August or 1st September onwards Weekly availability: Full-time (5 days/week) Period: 6 months Location: Delft, the Netherlands ABOUT THE COMPANY Fiducial is a young but fast-growing deep-tech start-up with big ambitions at the frontier of autonomy, perception, and defence. Currently, we are developing software for advanced onboard UAV situational awareness in military applications. Using low-cost and widely available sensors and compute, our solutions are built for scalability. From there, we plan to develop a line-up of interconnected solutions to safeguard European safety. Our team consists of engineers who are passionate about the technology and solutions they develop. The only time most of us are not thinking about the technology is when we are asleep, and sometimes even then. Our team members come from different backgrounds such as Aerospace Engineering, Computational Science and Engineering, Robotics, and Computer Graphics. Our office is located in the Aerospace Innovation Hub, a start-up hub on the TU Delft campus in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. We work closely with top-tier partners, ranging from government agencies and prime contractors to academic research institutes and other start-ups. Our projects span from large tender orders in collaboration with partners to low-TRL research with government agencies. Whether through formal R&D programs or rapid prototyping tracks, we operate at the intersection of innovation and deployment. YOUR ROLE If you are the kind of person who enjoys being on the sticks, knows how to prepare a platform for flight, and likes making sure UAV systems are always ready to go, this internship is designed for you. We are looking for a UAV Pilot & Flight Operations Intern who is first and foremost excited about piloting and operating UAV platforms. This role is not limited to FPV systems, although FPV experience is highly valued. You will also work with other platforms such as multirotors including the Holybro X650 and fixed-wing aircraft. Your main responsibility is to make sure our UAV platforms are flight-ready at all times. That means not only flying, but also checking, maintaining, preparing, troubleshooting, and improving the systems before and after flight operations. This is not a desk-only internship. You will spend time around real aircraft, in the workshop, and in the field. You will pilot, test, inspect, and help ensure our drone platforms can be deployed reliably and safely. WHAT YOU’LL DO * Pilot and operate UAV platforms in test and R&D environments. * Support flight operations across multiple platform types, including: * FPV drones * multirotor systems such as the Holybro X650 * fixed-wing UAVs * Ensure platforms are flight-ready at all times through structured pre-flight, post-flight, and maintenance routines. * Perform system checks on airframes, propulsion systems, power systems, RC links, telemetry, payloads, and onboard compute. * Prepare platforms for test days by charging batteries, checking logs, verifying configurations, updating firmware where needed, and confirming component health. * Troubleshoot flight readiness issues quickly and methodically. * Help maintain and improve standard operating procedures for flight preparation, field deployment, and recovery. * Assist with setup and tuning of flight controllers such as ArduPilot, Betaflight and related ground control workflows. * Work hands-on with onboard systems including compute boards such as Jetson, Orange Pi, and associated sensors. * Support deployment and field testing of embedded perception and autonomy software. * Solder, assemble, repair, and prototype wiring, adapters, mounts, and housings when needed. * 3D-print parts and contribute to practical workshop solutions that improve reliability and ease of deployment. * Participate in outdoor test campaigns, collect observations, and communicate technical issues clearly with the engineering team. * Help keep our platforms organized, maintained, documented, and ready for rapid iteration. WHO YOU ARE * You have experience flying UAVs, RC aircraft, or FPV systems. * You are genuinely excited about piloting and flight operations. * You care about making systems reliable, safe, and ready to fly. * You enjoy practical technical work and solving real hardware problems. * You are comfortable taking responsibility for the condition and readiness of physical platforms. * You like working in the field as much as in the workshop. * Linux does not scare you. * You are independent, curious, organized, and resourceful. * You are able to work carefully and consistently, especially when preparing systems for flight. * We care much more about what you have built, flown, maintained, or fixed than about grades. * You have a driver’s license * Drone pilot license or similar flight certification NICE TO HAVE These are strong pluses, but not strict requirements: * Experience with FPV systems * Experience with multirotor UAVs and/or fixed-wing platforms * Familiarity with ArduPilot, Betaflight, or other flight controller ecosystems * Experience with Holybro, Pixhawk-based systems, ESCs, power distribution, telemetry radios, or RC links * Experience with onboard compute such as Jetson or Orange Pi * Soldering and electronics debugging skills * 3D printing, CAD, or rapid prototyping experience * Basic embedded software or robotics experience * Experience with field testing and flight logs PLEASE INCLUDE When applying, please include photos, videos, or links to things that show us you actually build, fly, or maintain systems. For example: * drone builds * FPV rigs * multirotor or fixed-wing platforms * workshop or field setup * electronics projects * CAD or 3D-printed parts * GitHub repositories * flight videos * repair or maintenance work * anything that demonstrates hands-on flying or technical ownership If you’ve ever crashed something, fixed it, and flown it again, you’ll probably fit right in. REQUIREMENTS * Enrolled in a relevant study program (Aerospace, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, or similar) * Basic Linux skills * Strong interest in UAVs, flight operations, robotics, embedded systems, or autonomy * English proficiency * Organized and proactive working style WHAT WE OFFER * 1000 euro monthly internship allowance * 10 vacation days during the internship period * Flexible working hours and the option to work from home 2 days per week where practical * A direct and significant influence on highly innovative products * The opportunity to work close to the hardware and the product, with fast iteration and tight feedback loops * Responsibility over the systems and improvements you contribute to * A team environment where practical experimentation, learning, and ownership are expected THE APPLICATION PROCEDURE * If after reading the above you are convinced you are the right person for the job, send us some information about yourself. This can be a resume, website, portfolio, or any other source that gives us a clear impression of your background, technical skills, and hands-on experience. We will get back to you ASAP. * If we think you could be a fit for the position, we will invite you for an informal introduction so we can get to know you, and equally important, you can get to know us. After this, a more technically focused interview may follow. * If at that point we believe you are the person we are looking for, we will discuss the specifics such as starting date and internship period. Welcome to the team!

Fiducial

OPENING WE CANNOT PROVIDE VISA SPONSORSHIP DETAILS Preferred starting date: ASAP Weekly availability: full-time (5 days/week, minimum 60% travel in EU) Location: Aerospace Innovation Hub, Delft, the Netherlands ABOUT THE COMPANY Fiducial is a young but fast-growing deep-tech start-up with big ambitions at the frontier of autonomy, perception, and defence. Our core expertise lies in 3D vision and graphics technologies which we deploy in a dual-use context for inspection and defence. This role will focus mainly on the defence context where we are developing software for advanced on-board UAV situational awareness in military applications. Our solutions are aimed to operate with low-cost and widely available sensors and compute. From there, we plan to develop a line-up of interconnected solutions to safeguard European safety. Our team consists of engineers that are passionate about the technology and solutions they develop. The only time most of us are not thinking about the technology is when we are asleep, and sometimes even then. Our team members have a background in different fields such as Aerospace Engineering, Computational Science and Engineering, Robotics and Computer Graphics. Our office is located in the Aerospace Innovation Hub, a start-up hub located on the TU Delft campus in the faculty of Aerospace Engineering. We work closely with top-tier partners, ranging from government agencies and prime contractors to academic research institutes and other start-ups. Our projects span from large tender orders in collaboration with partners to low TRL research with government agencies. Whether through formal R&D programs or rapid prototyping tracks, we operate at the intersection of innovation and deployment. YOUR ROLE As a Forward Deployed System Integration Engineer - L2 (UAV Robotics), you will be at the center of bringing our autonomy solutions into the real world. You will work hands-on with drone hardware, integrate onboard systems, and deploy software onto real UAV platforms — from agile FPV drones to large fixed-wing aircraft. This role is ideal for someone who loves making physical systems work, thrives in the field, and enjoys solving problems with a combination of practical engineering, Linux skills, and methodical testing. You will become the critical link between our autonomy stack and the aircraft it controls. The L2 level reflects alignment between scope, autonomy, and field responsibility at this stage. It sits within our engineering track (L1, L2, L3, etc.) and provides a clear pathway for progression as you demonstrate impact and ownership in the role. Your responsibilities will include: * Be a key member of the deployment team responsible for deploying autonomy solutions across diverse UAV platforms. * Work hands-on with UAV hardware: assembling, wiring, debugging, and preparing platforms for field deployment. * Travel to partner sites, including international locations, to work on-site and ensure the solutions function reliably in demanding real-world conditions ("in the dirt"). * Integrate and test full-stack autonomy solutions on partner platforms, often in close collaboration with partner engineering teams. * Provide structured and actionable feedback to the product development team, based on observations from field tests and operational flights. * Contribute to improving interfaces between autonomy algorithms and flight controllers, helping shape a more robust deployment pipeline. WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU * Strong proficiency of working in a fully terminal-based Linux environment, shell scripting for automation and deployment tasks, Linux file system and command-line tools, and debugging system-level issues using the Linux terminal. * Solid understanding of UAV components and hardware, including battery management and practical electronics, with hands-on experience. Ideally you have built, flown, and debugged a drone yourself. * Proven experience working with drone flight controllers such as Ardupilot or Betaflight. * A willingness to pick up and learn new concepts quickly and to self-acquire missing background knowledge. * Adaptability under unforeseen circumstances and ability to think and act under pressure. * A high degree of autonomy, determination and grit in making cool tech work. * Demonstrated ownership in work assigned to you, while taking initiative to drive improvements that benefit the wider team. * Being comfortable with regular travel within the EU region, often over extended duration (up to 3 weeks at a time, followed by 2 weeks or more on-site). * Full time availability (40 hours). Bonus: * An obsessive level of passion for drones, like the rest of us here. * Practical experience building and deploying Docker containers. * Experience of Python or C++ development. * Valid driver’s license (Category B, suitable for travel abroad). * Drones pilot license or willingness to acquire one upon joining the team. While having the perfect background is nice, if you are able to present evidence of outstanding engineering and execution capability we are interested in talking regardless. If you are the right fit, we believe in your ability to pick up the required background knowledge on the fly. WHAT WE OFFER * Money of course. * 25 vacation days per year. * Reimbursed travel expenses and company laptop. * Traveling abroad to work with our partners. * (Really) flexible working hours and option to work from home 2 days per week (when not abroad). * Working in an international, world-class team of engineers and entrepreneurs solving real-life problems with amazing technology. * Large freedom in how you work and implement solutions, project ownership is incredibly important to us. * The opportunity to take technical risks, to implement stuff the ‘right’ way and to iterate quickly with tight feedback loops. We are innovating, learning is to be expected. * Responsibility over the things you implement, you are the expert on what you build. THE APPLICATION PROCEDURE * If after reading the above you are convinced you are the right person for the job, send us some information about yourself; this can be a resume, website or other source, as long as we get a clear impression of your background and skills. * We’ll get back to you as soon as possible. If we see a potential fit, you’ll first receive a short follow-up questionnaire. Based on your answers, we’ll invite you for a technical interview. This interview is an opportunity to talk through a real problem/scenario and show us you think and communicate. * If at this point we feel you are the person we are looking for, we’ll discuss the specifics. * Welcome to the team!

Fiducial

OPENING WE CANNOT PROVIDE VISA SPONSORSHIP DETAILS Preferred starting date: ASAP Weekly availability: full-time (5 days/week, regular travel in EU) Location: Delft, the Netherlands ABOUT THE COMPANY Fiducial is a young but fast-growing deep-tech start-up with big ambitions at the frontier of autonomy, perception, and defence. Our core expertise lies in 3D vision and graphics technologies which we deploy in a dual-use context for inspection and defence. This role will focus mainly on the defence context where we are developing software for advanced on-board UAV situational awareness in military applications. Our solutions are aimed to operate with low-cost and widely available sensors and compute. From there, we plan to develop a line-up of interconnected solutions to safeguard European safety. Our team consists of engineers that are passionate about the technology and solutions they develop. The only time most of us are not thinking about the technology is when we are asleep, and sometimes even then. Our team members have a background in different fields such as Aerospace Engineering, Computational Science and Engineering, Robotics and Computer Graphics. Our office is located in the Aerospace Innovation Hub, a start-up hub located on the TU Delft campus in the faculty of Aerospace Engineering. We work closely with top-tier partners, ranging from government agencies and prime contractors to academic research institutes and other start-ups. Our projects span from large tender orders in collaboration with partners to low TRL research with government agencies. Whether through formal R&D programs or rapid prototyping tracks, we operate at the intersection of innovation and deployment. YOUR ROLE As a Forward Deployed System Integration Engineer - L2 (UAV Robotics), you will be at the center of bringing our autonomy solutions into the real world. You will work hands-on with drone hardware, integrate onboard systems, and deploy software onto real UAV platforms, from agile FPV drones to large fixed-wing aircraft. This role is ideal for someone who loves making physical systems work, thrives in the field, and enjoys solving problems with a combination of practical engineering, Linux skills, and methodical testing. You will become the critical link between our autonomy stack and the aircraft it controls. The L2 level reflects alignment between scope, autonomy, and field responsibility at this stage. It sits within our engineering track (L1, L2, L3, etc.) and provides a clear pathway for progression as you demonstrate impact and ownership in the role. Your responsibilities will include: * Be a key member of the deployment team responsible for deploying autonomy solutions across diverse UAV platforms. * Work hands-on with UAV hardware: assembling, wiring, debugging, and preparing platforms for field deployment. * Travel to partner sites, including international locations, to work on-site and ensure the solutions function reliably in demanding real-world conditions ("in the dirt"). * Integrate and test full-stack autonomy solutions on partner platforms, often in close collaboration with partner engineering teams. * Provide structured and actionable feedback to the product development team, based on observations from field tests and operational flights. * Contribute to improving interfaces between autonomy algorithms and flight controllers, helping shape a more robust deployment pipeline. WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU * Strong proficiency of working in a fully terminal-based Linux environment, shell scripting for automation and deployment tasks, Linux file system and command-line tools, and debugging system-level issues using the Linux terminal. * Solid understanding of UAV components and hardware, including battery management and practical electronics, with hands-on experience. Ideally you have built, flown, and debugged a drone yourself. * Proven experience working with drone flight controllers such as Ardupilot or Betaflight. * A willingness to pick up and learn new concepts quickly and to self-acquire missing background knowledge. * Adaptability under unforeseen circumstances and ability to think and act under pressure. * A high degree of autonomy, determination and grit in making cool tech work. * Demonstrated ownership in work assigned to you, while taking initiative to drive improvements that benefit the wider team. * Being comfortable with regular travel for project activities within the EU region (up to 1 week at a time and up to 2 weeks per month). * Full time availability (40 hours). Bonus: * An obsessive level of passion for drones, like the rest of us here. * Experience of Python or C++ development. * Valid driver’s license (Category B, suitable for travel abroad). * Drones pilot license or willingness to acquire one upon joining the team. While having the perfect background is nice, if you are able to present evidence of outstanding engineering and execution capability we are interested in talking regardless. If you are the right fit, we believe in your ability to pick up the required background knowledge on the fly. WHAT WE OFFER * Money of course. * 25 vacation days per year. * Reimbursed travel expenses and company laptop. * Traveling abroad to work with our partners. * (Really) flexible working hours and option to work from home 2 days per week (when not abroad). * Working in an international, world-class team of engineers and entrepreneurs solving real-life problems with amazing technology. * Large freedom in how you work and implement solutions, project ownership is incredibly important to us. * The opportunity to take technical risks, to implement stuff the ‘right’ way and to iterate quickly with tight feedback loops. We are innovating, learning is to be expected. * Responsibility over the things you implement, you are the expert on what you build. THE APPLICATION PROCEDURE * If after reading the above you are convinced you are the right person for the job, send us some information about yourself; this can be a resume, website or other source, as long as we get a clear impression of your background and skills. * We’ll get back to you as soon as possible. If we see a potential fit, you’ll first receive a short follow-up questionnaire. Based on your answers, we’ll invite you for a technical interview. This interview is an opportunity to talk through a real problem/scenario and show us you think and communicate. * If at this point we feel you are the person we are looking for, we’ll discuss the specifics. * Welcome to the team!