Hi everyone,

See below for research job opportunity:

Job Title: Embedded Systems Engineer (Small UAVs/Drones)
Location: Unmanned Systems Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering
Position Type: Research Assistant

Position Overview

The Unmanned Systems Lab at the Department of Electrical Engineering is seeking a motivated and skilled Embedded Systems Engineer to join our team designing, building, and testing next-generation, small autonomous unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The ideal candidate will work at the intersection of hardware, firmware, and low-level software, bridging the gap between theoretical algorithms developed by PhD students and practical, flying hardware and simulations. You will work on cutting-edge projects that bring technical advances to societal and economic impacts.

Key Responsibilities

• Firmware Development: Develop, customize, and optimize firmware of OSIRIS board for different applications.
• System Integration: Integrate additional sensors (LiDAR, cameras, IR) and computing modules (Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson) into small-scale drone platforms.
• Algorithm Deployment: Implement and optimize autonomous navigation, control algorithms, and computer vision models from Python onto embedded processors.
• Testing & Debugging: Perform Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) and Simulation-in-the-Loop (SITL) tests, as well as live field testing to ensure reliability and safety.
• Hardware Prototyping: Design and assemble custom PCB components, wire sensors, and manage power distribution for prototypes.
• Documentation: Maintain rigorous documentation of code, hardware configurations, and experimental results for research publication and future development.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or a closely related field.
• Proven experience (2+ years) in embedded C/C++ programming.
• Hands-on experience with microcontroller architectures (e.g., STM32, ARM Cortex-M).
• Familiarity with open-source drone platforms (PX4/ArduPilot) and Linux/ROS (Robot Operating System).
• Experience with communication protocols (UART, SPI, I2C, CAN).
• Experience with PCB design tools (Altium, CAD).
• Strong debugging skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multimeters.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with computer vision libraries (OpenCV) and machine learning acceleration on embedded platforms (e.g., TensorRT, Jetson).
• Experience with real-time operating systems (FreeRTOS).
• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (or ability to obtain one).

Soft Skills

• Highly proactive and capable of working independently in an academic research environment.
• Strong collaborative skills to assist graduate students with their research projects.
• Patience and persistence in troubleshooting complex, time-critical hardware/software bugs.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge drone and AI research that will be published in top-tier conferences.
• Access to modern lab facilities, including rapid prototyping machines and specialized sensors.
• A collaborative and innovative research team.

How to Apply?

Email your resume/CV and transcripts along with a brief cover letter to yongcan.cao@utsa.edu.

Best Regards,

Belinda Guevara

Department of Electrical Engineering

Senior Program Coordinator
The University of Texas at San Antonio