About the Role
You'll own the full radar processing stack — from raw acquisition through detection and tracking. You report to the radar system architect: you own the software implementation of the waveform and detection strategy, and you feed back what's viable on compute, memory, and timeline. You’ll bridge the gap between theoretical DSP and high-performance, real-world deployment at Valkyrie Dynamics.
What You’ll Do
Own the radar waveform and detection strategy
Chirp/FMCW design
Range-Doppler processing detection budgets (SNR, integration, CFAR)
Angle estimation to detect small, low-RCS UAV targets at high closing velocity
Define and maintain the system-level requirements and budgets
Detection range, range/Doppler/angular resolution, update rate, power, thermal, and size
Write verifiable requirements so that meeting them validates the sensor
Evaluate approaches across the integration spectrum, cascaded transceiver ICs, an integrated system-on-module, or a discrete RF front-end
Collaborate with the antenna engineer on a viable solution for channel count, LO/clock distribution, and phase-coherence strategy across the array
Own and control the interfaces between subsystems
Ensure end-to-end signal chain from antenna to detection output holds together as one coherent system including:
Timing and synchronization (frame/trigger)
Transceiver-to-compute data path (sample rates, formats, latency/throughput)
RF/antenna boundary
Own and continuously evolve the system model — effectively a digital twin of the sensor. During the evolution:
Maintain ICDs
Meet and manage performance metrics
Grow model fidelity over time, introducing the non-idealities and non-linearities that matter as complexity increases (phase noise, PA compression, quantization, channel mismatch, mutual coupling), and trace observed behavior back to the origin.
Collaborate with the DSP engineer on the waveform and detection design
You lead the strategy, they own the implementation and pressure-test it for compute load, memory, and timeline — until the architecture is both performant and buildable
Converge the open architecture questions to decisions on a schedule
Committing with the evidence available, revisiting only when new data (a budget, a measurement) actually changes the answer
Able to work independently on a contract basis
Must pass company security procedures
Must communicate effectively in English
Preferred / Bonus
Counter-UAV or defense radar experience specifically — small, low-RCS, maneuvering targets in cluttered environments
Hands-on experience with integrated radar transceiver SoCs including integration tradeoffs they bring
MATLAB Simulink
Ukrainian or Russian speaking (Other languages are also great)
Engagement Details
Type: Contract-to-permanent position
Starts as a contract engagement with an explicit track to a permanent lead role for the right candidate
Rate: [TBD]
Duration: [TBD]
Location: Kyiv preferred, Hybrid
Hybrid: Must be able to temporary travel to Kyiv for on-site testing is heavily preferred (all expenses paid) — system bring-up and field validation against real targets, correlating measured performance against the model.
NOTE: We are currently in the process of getting authorized to provide reservation from mobilization
