Lead Systems Integration Engineer

Lead UAV Integration Engineer Location: Warsaw preferred, London also considered Travel: EU 1-2 times per month Language: English required; Polish useful but not essential A fast-growing defence technology business is seeking a UAV Integration Engineer to take ownership of integration engineering across existing and new UAV platforms. This is a broad, hands-on role for a practical whole-systems engineer who can work across mechanical, electrical, avionics, propulsion, fuel, payload and mission systems. The successful candidate will help bridge design engineering, production and external manufacturing partners, supporting the transition from prototype builds into repeatable, scalable production. Key Responsibilities UAV Integration & Scale-Up • Own and manage integration engineering activity across existing UAV platforms and new product development. • Act as the key interface between design engineering, production, quality, supply chain and programme teams. • Support the scale-up from prototype builds to repeatable production processes. • Identify integration risks early and propose practical mitigation plans. • Drive standardisation of integration processes, tooling, checklists and working methods. • Support training of technicians, production staff and external manufacturing partners. • Ensure integration traceability, configuration compliance and consistent engineering standards. • Support root cause analysis and corrective actions for integration issues. Systems Engineering Ownership • Build a deep understanding of the full UAV platform and the rationale behind existing design decisions. • Work across mechanical systems including airframe structures, propulsion and fuel systems. • Work across electrical, avionics, control, payload and mission equipment systems. • Evaluate subsystem compatibility and support practical engineering decisions during integration. Documentation & Knowledge Management • Capture UAV knowledge held by external stakeholders and ensure it is transferred into internal systems. • Manage integration documentation including checklists, quality control records, integration training materials and tooling requirements. • Support the preparation, review and maintenance of assembly instructions, wiring diagrams, BOMs, drawings, test records and production procedures. • Maintain accurate integration records to support traceability and configuration control. Hands-On Assembly & Integration • Provide hands-on support for assembly and integration of airframe structures, avionics, wiring, payloads and mission equipment. • Assist with fit checks, mechanical modifications, cable routing, mounting solutions and integration problem solving. • Resolve technical issues during build, integration and test activity. Electrical Systems, Testing & Flight Readiness • Support configuration, troubleshooting and functional testing of integrated electrical and control systems. • Support ground testing, system verification and readiness activities ahead of flight testing or deployment. • Develop and manage detailed commissioning and factory acceptance test protocols. • Support preparation of UAVs for flight testing, demonstrations and customer-facing trials. Supplier, Subcontractor & Manufacturing Partner Support • Manage and support external subcontract integration partners through introduction, ramp-up and ongoing delivery. • Ensure subcontractors and manufacturing partners work to internal quality standards, safety procedures and engineering best practice. • Work closely with partners onsite where required, typically around 1-2 times per month. Product Development & Continuous Improvement • Collaborate with design and engineering teams to integrate new functionality in line with the product roadmap. • Support the engineering team in capturing knowledge required for full digital twins in Onshape. • Create and manage updated BOMs for new variants. • Support supply chain teams in evaluating alternate component sources and ensuring compatibility. • Contribute practical engineering insight to improve build efficiency, maintainability, reliability and overall product quality. Candidate Profile • Experience in UAVs, aerospace, defence, autonomous systems, robotics, avionics or complex electromechanical hardware. • Strong whole-systems engineering understanding across mechanical and electrical systems. • Comfortable working strategically and hands-on. • Experience supporting prototype-to-production scale-up. • Able to work closely with design, production, quality, supply chain and programme teams. • Strong documentation, configuration control and process standardisation mindset. • Practical problem solver with strong communication skills. • Able to support external manufacturing partners and subcontractors. • English required; Polish useful but not essential. • Onshape or digital twin experience would be useful but is not essential. This is an opportunity to play a key role in bringing advanced UAV platforms into repeatable production within a high-growth defence technology environment.