Hardware Systems Engineer - John Deere Contract Role - 1326475

Are you a hands-on systems engineer who loves working with unmanned aerial systems (UAS), possesses a sharp instinct for mechanical design and wire harness fabrication, and wants to act as the primary technical bridge for advanced sensor integrations? As Cerebral Staffing, we are seeking an adaptable Hardware Systems Engineer to join our team supporting our client, John Deere, at the Sentera (John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group) facility in St. Paul, MN. If you want to take ownership of advanced drone instrumentation, lead real-world flight testing, and maintain critical engineering documentation, we want to hear from you.

Hardware Systems Engineer - John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group (Sentera) This is a unique, technology-focused 2+ year contract opportunity paying up to $46/hr, including 2 weeks of PTO. Operating fully onsite in St. Paul, you will serve as a subject matter expert responsible for integrating sophisticated sensors and custom mechanical components onto various drone platforms, ensuring seamless hardware-software compatibility., * UAS Hardware Integration & Design: Plan, design, and execute the mechanical integration of specialized sensors and hardware onto new and existing UAS platforms. Design and maintain component layouts, engineering drawings, and bills of materials (BOMs).

• Harnessing & Fabrication: Design, fabricate, and thoroughly document custom wire harnesses required for payload power and data distribution.
• Flight Testing & Validation: Conduct active drone flight testing and validation to verify structural integrity, payload performance, and sensor calibration under real-world conditions.
• Compatibility & Systems Testing: Perform hardware-and-software compatibility tests pairing sensors with different UAS autopilots and third-party data post-processing software.
• Technical Documentation & Level 2 Support: Create clear internal production records, facilitate engineering change management, and author user-facing product manuals. Provide specialized Level 2 engineering support to resolve complex technical anomalies.

Do you have a valid Remote Pilot Certificate license?, Do you have experience in Firmware?, Do you have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering?, * Education: Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering field.

• CAD Proficiency: Minimum of 1 year of hands-on experience using 3D CAD software (experience with PTC Creo is highly preferred).
• Autopilot & Firmware Exposure: Familiarity with Pixhawk autopilot hardware, PX4 & Ardupilot flight stack firmware, and MAVlink-based communication systems.
• Licensing Compliance: Must possess or be fully willing and capable of acquiring an FAA Part 107 Commercial Drone Pilot certification within the first three months of employment.
• Physical & Mobility Demands: Ability to spend roughly 25% of the day on your feet and lift up to 55 lbs during testing. Must possess a valid driver’s license and be willing to utilize a personal vehicle for seasonal travel to local flight testing fields.

What Makes You Stand Out

• Prior professional or robust hobbyist experience building, modifying, and piloting customized multirotor or fixed-wing drone platforms.
• Experience facilitating change management and acting as a primary engineering point of contact between inter-company teams and external technology partners.

Up to $46 an hour - Full-time, Contract, Pulled from the full job description

• Referral program
• 401(k)
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance, * 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Vision insurance