Computer Engineer

at  HFE International

OVERVIEW

HFE International is a leading manufacturer of UAV engines and systems, supporting hundreds of aerospace and defense companies worldwide. This Computer Engineer role focuses on embedded systems, microcontrollers, and rapid prototyping in a fast-paced, hands-on environment. We’re looking for someone who has not only the professional training but also the hobbyist mindset—someone who tinkers with Arduino-like environments, stays curious, and loves to build.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Professional training or equivalent experience in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Proficiency with Assembly (any flavor, ARM a plus), C, C++, and Python; and, associated debugging processes.
• Strong foundational knowledge of microcontroller architecture, register manipulation, memory layout (ARM, MIPS, RISC).
• Experience using Python or MATLAB for data analysis and plotting.
• Familiarity with common software development processes (V-model, waterfall, agile).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Hands-on experience with RTOS (e.g., FreeRTOS): tasks, queues, mutexes.
• Familiarity with STM32 HAL or similar microcontroller SDKs.
• Knowledge of communication protocols (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART) with potential expansion to TCP/IP.
• Familiarity with safe software design principals (DAL levels, DO-178C, MISRA).
• Ability to synchronize data between multiple systems and handle timing challenges.
• Understanding of signal filtering (IIR, rolling buffer, Kalman) and parameter derivation from raw data.
• Experience creating simple GUIs with frameworks like Pygame, Tkinter, .NET, Qt, etc.
• Basic parametric CAD skills (Fusion 360, SolidWorks, FreeCAD) to design and 3D print enclosures or adapters.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Computer Engineering, or Software Engineering with Embedded specialization.
• Classes in: Programming Languages, Processor Architectures, Systems Engineering.

JOB PURPOSE

Develop and maintain embedded systems for UAV engines, focusing on firmware development, peripheral control, and data analysis pipelines. Collaborate with cross-functional teams (electrical, mechanical, and software) to deliver reliable, high-performance solutions for hybrid power systems.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Write and maintain firmware in Assembly (ARM preferred), C, and C++ for microcontrollers.
• Implement Python-based data analysis workflows (NumPy, SciPy, Plotly) or MATLAB scripts as needed.
• Contribute to system architecture discussions.
• Participate in design-space exploration to optimize hardware-software trade-offs.
• Work with electrical and mechanical engineers on rapid prototyping and testing of embedded systems.
• Assist with building, flashing, and debugging microcontroller code on a variety of platforms.
• Document and maintain all relevant technical details, including block diagrams, design notes, and system requirements.