Drone Engineer Jobs
Engineering is the largest single area of hiring in the drone industry. From airframe and electronics to systems, test and integration, these roles design and build the aircraft themselves. Below are the latest drone engineer jobs from companies hiring across the industry.
- Roles open
- 340
Mechanical Engineer, UAS
Forward Deployed System Integration Engineer - L2 (UAV Robotics) - EU
Structure Design Engineer
Aerodynamic Design Engineer
Avionics Development Engineer
Flight Test Engineer
Senior Principal Integration and Test Engineer
Senior Principal Integration and Test Engineer
Senior Principal Integration and Test Engineer
Senior Principal Integration and Test Engineer
Senior Principal Integration and Test Engineer
Senior Principal Integration and Test Engineer
Senior Principal Integration and Test Engineer
Lead UAV Electrical Engineer
Senior Electrical Engineer - System Architect
Hardware Engineer
Mechanical Engineer - GCS
Postdoctoral Research Associate - Mechanical Engineering
Senior Engineer, Avionics Thermal Engineering (R5298)
Lead Systems Engineer, Flight Autonomy
What "drone engineer" actually covers
"Drone engineer" spans a broad range of disciplines, because building an unmanned aircraft draws on nearly every branch of engineering. The roles above include electrical and electronics engineers, mechanical and airframe engineers, systems engineers, test and integration engineers, hardware and PCB designers, airworthiness engineers, and RF and electromagnetic specialists. They sit at defense manufacturers, delivery and enterprise-drone companies, and the startups pushing autonomous flight forward.
What unites them is applied engineering in a demanding, safety-critical environment. Employers typically look for a relevant engineering degree and experience in aerospace, robotics, electronics or a comparable high-precision field, plus the specific technical skills each role requires. Seniority ranges from intern and junior positions through to lead and principal engineers, with compensation to match. A flight certificate is not needed — this is design and build work, not operation. New engineering roles are added continuously as companies across the US, Europe and beyond post openings.
Writing software rather than building hardware? Drone software jobs are listed separately, as are drone manufacturing jobs for the production side.
Questions, answered
- What does a drone engineer do?
- Drone engineers design, build and test unmanned aircraft and their systems. Depending on discipline, that means work on electronics, airframe and mechanics, systems integration, testing, or hardware and RF design.
- What qualifications do drone engineer jobs require?
- Typically a relevant engineering degree and experience in aerospace, robotics, electronics or a similar field. The specific skills depend on whether the role is electrical, mechanical, systems, test or hardware focused.
- Do drone engineers need a pilot licence?
- No. Engineering roles are about designing and building the aircraft, not flying it, so a flight certificate is generally not required.
- What types of drone engineer jobs are there?
- Electrical, mechanical, systems, test and integration, hardware and PCB, airworthiness, and RF or electromagnetic engineering roles, across all seniority levels.