Embedded QA Lead at Swarmer

WHY WE EXIST: Swarmer develops software that makes drones autonomous and allows them to operate together, in large, coordinated teams — no pilots needed. Our technology has been battle-tested in Ukraine— the world’s most intense proving ground for drone warfare. In March 2026, we became the first Ukrainian defense startup to go public on NASDAQ, following a $15M Series A — the largest investment in a Ukrainian defense tech company since the start of the war. Working at Swarmer means operating at the intersection of engineering rigor and frontline reality. The problems and environments are complex, and the stakes are very real. We built this software to enable democratic nations to defend themselves. If you are motivated by building resilient systems that matter and by seeing the direct impact of your work, you’ll find purpose here. WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR: We are looking for someone who is skilled in leading QA team, testing embedded hardware solutions, and continuously improving how things are built and tested. As an Embedded QA Lead, you will provide both team and technical leadership, heading a team of Embedded QA Engineers and collaborating closely with other R&D teams. You will also be the quality cornerstone for our products, ensuring the reliability, performance, and robustness of our hardware and its integration with our software solutions, while staying hands-on with Embedded QA work when time permits.   WHAT YOU’LL DO: - Lead and grow the team. Manage, mentor, and technically guide a team of Embedded QA Engineers — own task distribution, performance reviews, and their professional development - Define and drive QA strategy. Set the overall QA roadmap for embedded hardware testing, establish quality gates across hardware components, firmware, and system integration, and decide which tools and practices the team adopts - Own test planning and execution. Oversee the creation and maintenance of test plans, test cases, and reports — ensuring strong coverage from initial concept through final deployment - Stay hands-on. Act as the team's technical expert: jump into manual testing, write automation scripts, and troubleshoot complex issues when capacity or complexity demands it - Integrate quality into manufacturing. Partner with the manufacturing team to define and audit quality control procedures on the production line, catching hardware defects early - Be the hardware quality SME across the org. Serve as the primary point of contact for hardware quality, aligning hardware and software teams and championing continuous improvement across processes WHAT WE NEED: - Experience. 5+ years in Quality Assurance, with at least 3 years focused on embedded systems and 2+ years leading or technically guiding a team of engineers - QA fundamentals. Strong grasp of testing methodologies and strategies, and a clear understanding of what it takes to ship a quality product - Embedded systems expertise. Hands-on experience with Single Board Computers (Raspberry Pi or similar Linux-based devices) and microcontroller platforms (ESP32, STM32, Nordic, Silabs, TI, or comparable). You understand how smart devices communicate with each other and with the cloud - Linux proficiency. Comfortable working in Linux, the CLI, and writing simple scripts to streamline your work - Communication protocols. Experience troubleshooting issues across MQTT, MAVLink, CAN, I2C, UART, and SPI - Analytical mindset. Ability to investigate data, identify root causes, and document findings in clear, concise reports - Ways of working. A strong communicator and teammate who takes ownership, adapts to change, and performs well under pressure Would be an advantage: - Familiarity with the full software development lifecycle (SDLC) - Knowledge of drone components, how they integrate, and common failure modes - Ability to write Bash or Python scripts to automate testing - Experience with wireless protocols (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LoRa, cellular) - Understanding of virtualisation or containerisation - Background in Electrical or Radio engineering — you can read electronic schematics and confidently use a multimeter, caliper, and oscilloscope   WHAT YOU’LL GET: - A chance to shape the core autonomy and perception systems at the heart of Ukraine’s defense tech ecosystem and its international expansion - Direct impact in a high-stakes industry where security decisions carry real-world consequences - Professional growth through working with cutting-edge defense technologies and exposure to international security best practices - Competitive salary, benefits package (insurance, paid sick leaves, 20 paid days off per year) - Benefits of the defense sector (reservation, etc) HOW’S THE HIRING PROCESS GOING: ✔️ Intro Call → ✔️ Technical Interview → ✔️ Management interview → ✔️ Security check → ✔️Offer Ready to Apply?