Research Engineer – Long‑Range Medical Drone Development

About the role

The Drone Transport Initiative at UBC seeks a Research Engineer to lead the design, development, and flight testing of long‑range medical drones. You will create automated flight planners and own the autopilot system architecture, collaborating with trainees, principal investigators, industry partners, regulators, and community stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Design analytical models, flight‑planning algorithms, and control software for long‑range drone operations.
• Develop and integrate autopilot and flight‑control systems on multiple UAV platforms.
• Implement algorithms on edge‑computing devices and embed flight‑control software using C/C++.
• Conduct verification, validation, and flight‑testing of autopilot functionality.
• Prepare regulatory filings, scientific publications, and progress reports for funders and partners.

Required profile

• Graduate degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering or related field.
• Experience in aerospace guidance, navigation, control, and robotics.
• Proven ability to work in interdisciplinary research teams and communicate with diverse stakeholders.

Required skills

• Embedded C/C++ programming.
• ROS and ROS2 middleware.
• Flight‑planning and autopilot algorithm development.
• Edge‑computing integration.
• Control systems design and testing.

What we offer

• Competitive salary range of $7,158.42 – $10,292.25 CAD per month.
• Permanent, non‑union staff position within a collaborative university environment.
• Opportunities for publication, industry collaboration, and impact on rural healthcare access.