Technology Innovation Institute (TII) is a publicly funded research institute, based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is home to a diverse community of leading scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and researchers from across the globe, transforming problems and roadblocks into pioneering research and technology prototypes that help move society ahead.
Autonomous Robotics Research Centre
Unmanned vehicles in space, in the air, on land, on sea, and underwater offer exciting opportunities to dramatically improve safety, environmental protection and operational effectiveness – at lower cost – in both industrial and mission-critical settings.
Our research focus includes:
- UAV research and development, covering platforms, real-time operating systems, perception and communication algorithms, control, and decision-making algorithms
- Autonomous marine and submarine vehicles research and development for different use cases
- Autonomous ground vehicle research and development for on road and off-road use cases
- Swarm architectures for heterogeneous drones and advanced communication networks
- Low-power platforms for nano-size and pico-size UAV classes
- Bio-inspired, evolutionary, and self-organized methodologies
As an Autonomous Robotics UAV Engineer, you will become a pivotal member of the system integration department in the Autonomous Robotics Research Centre (ARRC) at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) - Abu Dhabi. We are seeking a talented and experienced UAV System Engineer to join our team. As an Autonomous Robotics UAV Engineer, you will play a key role in the design, development, integration, and testing of advanced unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems. You will work closely with a multidisciplinary team of engineers and developers to ensure the successful implementation of UAV systems for various applications.
You should prove accountable and autonomous and should be able to work in a team. An excellent understanding of robotic fundamentals and algorithms is a must.
If you would like to be part of our multi-disciplinary team, apply today by reaching out to us.
Responsibilities
- Design, analyze, and develop UAV system architecture, including avionics, flight control, communication, and payload integration.
- Implement and configure thePX4 flight control software stack for UAVs, ensuring optimal performance, stability, and mission-specific capabilities.
- Develop and debug software components in C++ and Python for UAV control, navigation, autonomy, and system-level applications.
- Utilize theRobot Operating System (ROS) for UAV system integration, modular software development, and inter-process communication.
- Create and utilize Gazebo simulations to test and validate UAV system behavior, sensor simulation, and scenario-based simulations.
- Develop Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) andGraphical User Interfaces (GUIs) using QML/Qt for UAV ground control stations or operator interfaces.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate sensors, payloads, and communication systems into the UAV platform.
- Conduct system-level testing, verification, and validation to ensure compliance with requirements and performance objectives.
- Troubleshoot and debug UAV system issues, including software, hardware, and integration challenges.
- Stay updated with the latest advancements in UAV technologies, system engineering practices, and software tools, and apply them to enhance system capabilities.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to define system requirements, propose solutions, and present technical information effectively.
Requirements
- In-depth understanding of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems and their architecture, including avionics, flight control, communication, and payload integration.
- Proven experience in system engineering for UAVs, including requirements analysis, system design, integration, testing, and verification.
- Proficiency in PX4, an open-source flight control software stack, for UAV development, configuration, and mission planning.
- Strong programming skills in C++ and Python for developing and debugging UAV software, algorithms, and system-level applications.
- Extensive experience with Robot Operating System (ROS) for UAV system integration, inter-process communication, and modular software development.
- Expertise in using Gazebo, a popular robotics simulation environment, for creating and testing UAV models, sensor simulation, and scenario-based simulations.
- Proficient in QML/Qt for developing Human-Machine Interface (HMI) and Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) for UAV ground control stations or operator interfaces.
- Knowledge of UAV communication protocols, such as MAVLink, and ability to integrate UAV systems with ground control stations and other components.
- Familiarity with UAV navigation systems, including GPS, IMU, and computer vision-based techniques for localization, mapping, and obstacle avoidance.
- Strong problem-solving skills to troubleshoot and debug UAV systems, software, and hardware integration issues.
- Experience in implementing UAV autonomy and mission planning algorithms, including path planning, mission sequencing, and behavior-based control.
- Proficient in using development tools, version control systems, and software development methodologies.
- Familiarity with UAV safety regulations and best practices for safe and responsible UAV operations.
- Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams of engineers, software developers, and researchers.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills to document system designs, present technical information, and collaborate with stakeholders.
- Continuous learning mindset to stay updated with the latest advancements in UAV technologies, system engineering practices, and software tools.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
At TII, we help society to overcome its biggest hurdles through a rigorous approach to scientific discovery and inquiry, using state-of-the-art facilities and collaboration with leading international institutions. Our rigorous discovery and inquiry-based approach helps to forge new and disruptive breakthroughs in advanced materials, autonomous robotics, cryptography, digital security, directed energy, quantum computing and secure systems.