Mission

As a Senior Mechatronics Engineer at Rift, you’ll be at the heart of developing our technical ecosystem: VTOL aircraft, droneport, embedded firmware… You’ll design, assemble, test, and continuously improve our systems.

You’ll work across the entire chain: CAD (Fusion 360), prototyping (3D printing, wiring, soldering), avionics (ESCs, telemetry, flight controller, power systems…) and embedded electronics (STM32, ESP32 in C/C++)

What you’ll do

Multi-product scope – You’ll naturally shift between the various Rift tech stacks: our UAS, droneport, embedded firmware… Every engineer develops a holistic understanding of the Rift ecosystem, while maintaining their own area of expertise.
Fullstack – You’re just as comfortable designing in CAD (e.g., Fusion 360), working in the workshop, running field tests, and supporting production units.
UAS architecture – You understand avionics end-to-end: flight controller, ESC/motor control, RF telemetry, power management, etc. Familiarity with Ardupilot / Mavlink is a plus.
Rapid prototyping – FDM 3D printing, soldering, bring-up.
Mechatronic integration – Selecting and driving brushless motors, steppers, servos. Working with PID loops.
Embedded electronics – C/C++ in an “Arduino-like” environment (STM32, ESP32…). Experience in schematic & PCB design is a plus.
Sourcing & cost estimation – You source components and can budget a complete solution.
Quality & compliance – Awareness of aerospace standards; DO-178 / DO-254 knowledge is a plus.

What we’re looking for

Senior profile (≈ 5+ years of experience) in developing complex hardware products (drones, robotics, IoT…).
An engineering degree is a plus, but hands-on experience and ability to ship are what really matter.
Natural fit in a startup environment: autonomy, prioritization, fast decision-making.
A taste for rapid iteration: you can imagine an idea in the morning, model it during the day, launch a print for the night, and test it in the field the next day.
Fluent in English.

Don’t worry if your profile doesn’t exactly match the description—doesn’t mean you’re not the right person.

How we work

Boldness is encouraged, we’d rather break the rules than follow them blindly.
We share both successes and failures openly: learning fast means failing fast.
We care personally and challenge directly: honest feedback early and often, without ego.
Above all, we constantly aim to simplify. No over-engineering. “Best part is no part.”

What we offer

Salary: €50–70k depending on profile
100% transportation coverage: we fully reimburse your Pass Navigo.
Swile card: to cover your lunch.
Equity: every employee holds a stake in the company.
Flight training: anyone on the team can get trained to fly our VTOL drone and experience real-world ops.
Strong team bonding: regular events, offsites, and team seminars.
Unique workspace: offices located on a former airbase, at the crossroads of aerospace and defense.

Hiring process

Introductory call – Get to know each other, motivations, overall fit.
Technical interview – Case study or hands-on scenario.
Final interview – Meet the team & founders.
Reference check – Quick call with a former manager or colleague.

Who we are

Rift is building the first European long-range drone network to protect borders, critical infrastructure, and territories. Our mission is to make real-time aerial intelligence accessible, anywhere, anytime.

We design, build, and operate a fleet of fixed-wing drones deployed through autonomous ground stations. Each drone covers hundreds of kilometers per flight and is fully remote-controlled from our operations center, delivering live intelligence to security forces in crisis situations.

Rift is entering a phase of industrialization and large-scale deployment. We're looking for talented, self-driven individuals who want to make an impact, people ready to help build a strategic tech company that strengthens Europe’s security, sovereignty, and resilience in the face of tomorrow’s threats.

Interested in this opportunity? Apply now

Senior Mechatronics Engineer