Location: Ukraine
Reports to: Engineering Lead
Type: Full-time
About Occam
Occam Industries is a British defence-tech company building hardware-agnostic autonomous AI software for military drones. Our AI pilot, OccamX, turns existing, mass-produced aerial platforms into autonomous systems: software-only, running on cheap commodity hardware, and integrating into the supply chains our customers already use.
We work directly with OEMs, defence partners and frontline users to get capability to the field at speed and scale.
That work is being proven in Ukraine right now.
Working with Occam
We believe the only defence technology that matters is the kind that changes outcomes in the field. That means we move quickly, stay practical, and care deeply about whether the product works when it is handed to the people who need it.
For that to happen, every drone coming into Occam needs to be checked, configured, tested and accepted properly before it reaches a pilot.
That is where this role comes in.
The Role
We are looking for a UAS Integration & Acceptance Engineer to take ownership of incoming drones from OEM partners, confirm they are fit to fly, resolve or escalate issues, and hand them over to pilots in a ready and reliable state.
This role sits between OEM supply, engineering, testing and pilot operations. You will be the person who makes sure that aircraft arriving into Occam are not just present, but actually usable. You will inspect them, configure them, test them, document their status, record defects and make sure pilots receive equipment they can trust.
This is a hands-on engineering role in a fast-moving defence-tech environment. It requires strong technical judgement, attention to detail, practical problem-solving and the confidence to say when something is not ready.
When this role is done well, pilots do not lose time discovering issues that should have been caught earlier. Engineering gets clear feedback on recurring defects. OEM quality improves. The delivery flow becomes faster, safer and more reliable.
What You’ll Own
Incoming drone acceptance
● Receive UAS platforms from OEMs and carry out structured acceptance checks.
● Confirm each aircraft is complete, correctly configured and ready for integration or flight testing.
● Inspect airframes, components, wiring, connectors, batteries, payload interfaces and control systems.
● Identify defects, missing parts, configuration issues or signs of poor build quality.
● Confirm each system matches the required build standard, configuration and documentation.
● Record acceptance status clearly before the aircraft moves to the next stage.
Integration and configuration
● Prepare drones for use with Occam systems, software and operating procedures.
● Carry out configuration, calibration and setup activities required before test or handover.
● Work with engineering teams to apply approved software, firmware or configuration updates.
● Support integration of onboard systems, control interfaces and supporting equipment.
● Ensure the aircraft is labelled, tracked and documented correctly.
● Make sure any changes made during integration are recorded and traceable.
Flight readiness and functional testing
● Carry out pre-flight functional checks to confirm the aircraft can fly safely and reliably.
● Support ground testing, systems checks and controlled test activities.
● Work with pilots and test teams to confirm readiness before handover.
● Identify issues that may affect flight safety, usability or operational reliability.
● Ensure failed checks are captured, triaged and resolved before the aircraft is released.
● Maintain a clear pass, fail or hold status for each drone.
Defect management and OEM quality feedback
● Log quality issues found during inspection, integration, testing or pilot handover.
● Capture defects clearly with photos, notes, serial numbers and supporting evidence.
● Update the OEM quality tracker so recurring problems can be spotted and escalated.
● Work with engineering, operations and supplier teams to identify root causes.
● Track fixes and make sure resolved issues are documented properly.
● Help create a clear feedback loop between Occam and OEM partners.
Handover to pilots
● Prepare drones for handover to pilots in a clear, consistent and ready-to-use state.
● Confirm the pilot has the correct aircraft, equipment, documentation and known-status information.
● Brief pilots on any relevant configuration notes, limitations or recent fixes.
● Make sure handovers are recorded, including who has taken the aircraft and when.
● Support the physical movement of drones through the acceptance, test, ready and deployed stages.
● Reduce the amount of time pilots spend checking, fixing or chasing basic readiness issues.
Process, tracking and workspace discipline
● Maintain accurate records of aircraft status, defects, fixes, test outcomes and handovers.
● Keep the physical tracking system, Kanban board or equivalent workflow tool up to date.
● Ensure drones are stored in the correct area based on their status.
● Support clear labelling, tagging and inventory control for aircraft and related equipment.
● Keep the integration and acceptance workspace organised, safe and practical.
● Help improve the acceptance process as volumes increase.
● Defining the reference build, keeping documentation & reference drone upto date.
Safety, security and operational judgement
● Work within Occam’s security, confidentiality and operational protocols at all times.
● Handle sensitive information and equipment with appropriate care and discretion.
● Escalate safety, security or reliability concerns early and clearly.
● Follow agreed procedures for access, storage, movement and handover of UAS platforms.
● Maintain strong discipline around documentation, configuration control and status tracking.
● Operate with the judgement expected in a defence-tech environment.
About You
You are a practical, hands-on engineer who takes pride in things being right before they leave your area.
You are the kind of person who notices the missing screw, the loose connector, the wrong configuration, the unexplained fault and the pattern that keeps repeating. You do not assume something is ready just because it arrived from a supplier. You check.
You are calm, methodical and comfortable working in a messy, fast-moving environment. You can solve problems yourself where appropriate, but you also know when to escalate. You understand that pilots should not be the final quality control step.
You care about reliability, clarity and trust. When you hand something over, people should know what state it is in, what has been checked, what was fixed and what risks remain.
Required Experience
● Hands-on experience with drones, UAVs, UAS platforms, robotics, electronics, aviation systems or similar technical equipment.
● Strong practical engineering skills, including inspection, troubleshooting, configuration and repair.
● Experience carrying out structured checks, acceptance testing or quality control.
● Good understanding of flight readiness, equipment safety and technical handover processes.
● Ability to diagnose issues across hardware, software, configuration and build quality.
● Strong attention to detail and accurate record-keeping.
● Comfortable working with pilots, engineers, operations teams and suppliers.
● Able to work in a fast-moving, sensitive and high-pressure environment.
● Based in Ukraine and eligible to work in Ukraine.
Desirable Experience
● Experience with military drones, commercial UAVs, FPV systems, fixed-wing UAS or autonomous aerial platforms.
● Experience working with OEMs, supplier quality processes or incoming goods inspection.
● Experience supporting flight testing, field trials or operational deployments.
● Familiarity with airframe inspection, batteries, radio systems, ground control equipment and onboard electronics.
● Understanding of configuration management, serial tracking and defect reporting.
● Experience in defence, aerospace, robotics, hardware integration or mission-critical technology.
● Ukrainian language skills.
● Strong English communication skills, as Occam’s working language is English.
Clearance, Location and Travel Requirements
● Must be based in Ukraine.
● Must be eligible to work in Ukraine.
● Must be able to travel within Ukraine when required.
● Must be comfortable working in a highly confidential defence-tech environment.
● Must be eligible to obtain and maintain relevant security clearance where required.
● Existing defence, government or military-related clearance would be advantageous.
● Must be willing to work around live operational priorities and changing delivery needs.
Personal Attributes
● Practical, careful and technically curious.
● Strong attention to detail.
● Calm under pressure.
● Discreet, trustworthy and security-aware.
● Comfortable with hands-on work and physical equipment.
● Able to bring order to a messy workflow.
● Confident enough to stop a handover if something is not ready.
● Clear and concise in communication.
● Focused on reliability, safety and field usefulness.
Why This Role
Most integration roles are about getting equipment through a process. This one is about making sure pilots receive drones that are ready, reliable and trusted.
You will be the final engineering checkpoint between an OEM delivery and a pilot receiving an aircraft. Your work will reduce wasted time, improve supplier quality, protect the delivery flow and make sure the team can move faster without cutting corners.
If you want a clean desk role, this is probably not it.
If you want to be hands-on with real equipment, close to the field, and responsible for making sure capability is actually ready to use, this is the role.
