PaiDefence

PaiDefence is a British-Ukrainian DefenseTech company building air defence systems already deployed on the frontlines. We push real technology to the battlefield — not demos, not paper specs.

We are looking for a Lead Hardware & Systems Engineer to own the full hardware domain — from system architecture through to serial production and stable field operation. You will drive our prototype to a production-ready device, coordinate mechanical and electronics engineers, and set up small-series manufacturing with potential to scale.

Responsibilities

• Architecture & Design — system hardware architecture, component and enclosure selection, thermal management, sealing, rugged design decisions, and technical specifications
• Hands-on Development — hardware bring-up, testing, verification, reliability analysis, and fault investigation
• Industrial Readiness — prototype-to-DFM/DFA transition, production documentation, contractor management, and quality control

• System Integration — integration of hardware with electronics, sensors, and antenna systems; cable architecture; field power; uptime and health monitoring

   

Requirements

• Proven experience in hardware system development
• Track record of taking a product from prototype to serial production
• Strong system architecture skills and hands-on hardware development
• Familiarity with industrial-grade or mil-tech standards

• Understanding of mechanical design and CAD tools

   

Nice to Have

• Experience with rugged solutions for field or industrial environments
• Background in DefenseTech, aerospace, or adjacent domains
• Familiarity with RF components or antenna systems

• English — B1+ (technical documentation, occasional communication)

   

What We Offer

• Real impact — your decisions directly affect the reliability of air defence systems in the field
• Full ownership of the hardware domain from day one
• Deep-tech engineering challenges that don’t exist in the civilian sector
• Office in central Kyiv, 3 minutes from the metro
• Full-time, standard business hours; some tasks may require involvement outside the usual schedule (field testing, critical updates)

We are a British—Ukrainian air defence tech company building distributed systems across the frontline. 

Our core value is impact for Ukraine: we build technology that makes a real difference on the actual battlefield, not in labs or on paper specs. 

We operate with a deep-tech mindset, pushing new technologies where engineering rigor truly matters. 

We value ownership and responsibility—people who execute, deliver, and stand behind the results.

We are looking for a high-level Senior IoT DevOps/Cloud Engineer to join our MilTech team. 

You will be building and scaling the infrastructure for a complex software-hardware system that operates in extreme environments. This isn’t just about “moving containers”; it’s about ensuring real-time data flow from the frontline (Edge) to the Command Center (Cloud) with 100% reliability.

What You’ll Do (Responsibilities)

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Design and maintain scalable cloud environments (AWS/Azure/Private Cloud) using Terraform or Pulumi.
• Edge Operations: Architect and manage CI/CD pipelines for embedded devices and SDR systems (Software-Defined Radio), including remote firmware updates (FOTA).
• Secure Connectivity: Build and maintain secure, encrypted communication tunnels (VPN, WireGuard) between hardware units and the cloud.
• Observability: Implement monitoring and logging for both cloud services and physical hardware units (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK).

• Security & Hardening: Enforce strict security protocols for data at rest and in transit, ensuring compliance with defense-grade standards.

   

What We’re Looking For (Requirements)

• Experience: 5+ years in DevOps/Cloud Engineering with at least 2 years in IoT or hardware-integrated projects.
• Cloud Mastery: Deep knowledge of AWS/Azure (IoT Core, Greengrass is a plus) or similar cloud providers.
• Containerization: Expert-level Docker & Kubernetes (including experience with Edge-specific distributions).
• Programming: Strong scripting skills in Python, Bash for automation and hardware interaction.
• Linux Power User: Experience with OS hardening, and building custom images (Yocto or Debian-based).

• Networking: Deep understanding of networking protocols (MQTT, gRPC, Protobuf, WebSockets) and mesh networks.

   

Nice to Have (The “Bonus” Skills)

• Experience with SDR (Software-Defined Radio) or signal processing workflows.

• Background in cybersecurity (Penetration testing or hardware security).

   

Why Join Us?

• Real Impact: Your code directly influences the efficiency and safety of operations on the ground.
• Complex Challenges: We solve problems that don’t have “StackOverflow” answers.
• Cutting-edge Tech: Work with the latest in AI, SDR, and autonomous systems.

• Elite Team: Collaborate with veterans of the tech industry and defense experts.

   

We Offer

• Meaningful and high-impact work in the AIR defense domain
• Practical R&D environment with real autonomy
• Direct influence on technical decisions and the product direction
• Work in an experienced senior engineering team
• Сlear, fast, senior-to-senior communication with a minimum number of team meetings
• Office in the center of Kyiv (available for onsite work when required)
• Full-time position
• Location — all options are possible — offline, remote or hybrid. Occasional visits to the Kyiv office only when strictly required will be preferred.
• Standard business hours; some tasks may require involvement outside the usual schedule (testing, critical updates)