Key Skills

Job Description

Senior Autonomous Systems Engineer Location: Hybrid, Amsterdam, Netherlands Compensation: €70k–€90k + 0.5%–1.5% equity Contract: Full time About Trusk Trusk is a fast-growing European defence startup, founded on the belief that Europe needs to be self-reliant for its defence. Warfare is changing, and new doctrines are emerging around attritable drones. We counter the kamikaze drone threat with smart software on board fast interceptor drones. This is the start of the fully autonomous systems that will shape the battlefield of tomorrow. About the role We build the brains and infrastructure behind autonomous flight, from simulation to real-world flight. This role sits at the boundary between algorithms and the hardware they drive. Your job is to turn autonomy concepts into systems that survive contact with reality. As our Senior Autonomous Systems Engineer, you own the autonomy integration layer across simulation and flight. You work closely with our computer vision specialists to implement, integrate, test and deploy autonomy behaviours on real vehicles. The role carries system-level ownership. If you like owning messy, end-to-end technical problems and turning theory into things that fly, this is your arena. 🧱 What you’ll own Design, build and own guidance and navigation on top of our ArduPilot flight control implementation Extend the ArduPilot firmware where the autonomy stack needs it Develop the GCS application that cues interceptors with input from ground sensors Develop and maintain the end-to-end autonomy pipeline: Gazebo-based simulation, SITL, HITL and real-world flight testing Build CI/CD pipelines that validate autonomy in simulation before release Build tooling for scenario automation, regression testing and HITL validation Integrate GNC and mission logic into reliable end-to-end systems Contribute to on-board software for navigation, communications and health monitoring Own system bring-up, debugging and verification in Linux-based environments Work with our UAV engineers during flight trials and post-flight data analysis ⚙️ Our stack today Simulation: Gazebo Autopilot: ArduPilot Vehicle and comms integration: MAVSDK, MAVLink On-board autonomy: Python on an Nvidia Jetson companion computer OS: Linux No ROS You don’t need to have used this exact stack before. However, we expect you to ramp quickly and apply solid engineering mental models to new tools. 🧩 What we’re looking for Core skills: Deep software engineering background in robotics or autonomous systems Proven ability to own complex systems end-to-end, from architecture through flight validation Strong Python experience in production systems; our current autonomy stack is Python Comfortable working in Linux-based environments A hands-on systems mindset: bring-up, debugging and making things work in real-world conditions Practical networking experience, including long-range RF links, Wi-Fi access point setup, and basic network hardening and reliability for field operations A diligent, precise engineering style with a bias toward robustness over cleverness Nice to have: C++ experience; we expect to migrate performance-critical parts of the autonomy stack to C++ over time Embedded systems experience (e.g. Nvidia Jetson, Raspberry Pi) HITL or SITL setup experience Familiarity with flight control firmware or autopilot architectures (ArduPilot, PX4 or similar) Exposure to computer vision pipelines and autonomy-adjacent data workflows CAD experience, in particular Fusion 360 EU drone licence A1/A3 or A2 (not required; we support you in getting it) 🚀 What’s in it for you Ownership: you own the digital half of autonomy, meaning the orchestration and validation that turn specialist algorithms into real autonomous flight Impact: your work runs on real aircraft and shows up in flight logs rather than papers Culture: pragmatic engineering over academic purity, in a small team where your decisions matter Equity: early-stage ownership tied to the company’s growth Drone licence support: we help you get your A1/A3 or A2 as part of the role 🤝 Application process Three short rounds, including a technical assessment that respects your time. We hire quickly to match the pace of a changing world. Ready to apply? Send your application now.

Core Responsibilities

Own the autonomy integration layer across simulation and flight, including guidance and navigation built on ArduPilot, firmware extensions, and a ground control application for cueing interceptors. Develop and validate the end-to-end autonomy pipeline through simulation, CI/CD, hardware-in-the-loop testing, real-world flight trials, system debugging, and post-flight analysis.

Requirements

Candidates should have deep software engineering experience in robotics or autonomous systems, a record of owning complex systems through flight validation, strong production Python skills, and comfort working in Linux. They should also bring hands-on debugging and practical networking experience; C++, embedded systems, SITL/HITL, autopilot architectures, computer vision workflows, CAD, and an EU drone licence are advantageous but not required.

Benefits

• Equity
• Drone License Support