Principal System & Subsystem Engineer

About the role

This senior UAE‑national position provides full technical authority over end‑to‑end UAV systems engineering, from architecture definition to subsystem integration, verification and national capability development.

Key responsibilities

• Define and own UAV system architectures across airborne platforms, payloads, datalinks and ground control stations, governing requirements, ICDs and functional allocations.
• Lead integration of hardware, software, mechanical, electrical and RF subsystems, ensuring performance, safety, SWaP and reliability targets.
• Mentor multidisciplinary engineers and drive System Requirements Review (SRR), Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design Review (CDR), Test Readiness Review (TRR) and Production Readiness Review (PRR) processes.
• Institutionalize systems engineering processes and support Emirati talent development.
• Define verification and validation strategies across lab, ground and flight testing, maintaining full traceability from requirements to acceptance.
• Lead root‑cause analysis and corrective actions for system‑level issues.
• Engage with stakeholders to ensure program execution aligns with regulatory standards (GCAA, EASA, FAA, MIL‑STD/STANAG).

Required profile

• UAE national.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Systems, Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• 5+ years of hands‑on UAV systems engineering experience, including flight control, autonomy and sensor fusion.
• Proven track record in system architecture, integration, verification and flight testing of UAVs.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams on military and commercial UAV programs.
• High‑level technical writing ability.

Required skills

• SysML / Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE).
• MATLAB / Simulink.
• DOORS or equivalent requirements management tools.
• UAV flight control and autonomy development.
• Sensor fusion techniques.
• System architecture and integration.
• Verification, validation and flight test oversight.
• Knowledge of UAV subsystems: avionics, propulsion, sensors, communications, payloads.