Senior Mechatronics Engineer — Aquila Earth
Location: Sydney, Australia — Marrickville (Onsite, ~5 days/week)
Compensation: $140,000 – $200,000 AUD base (~$99,400 – $142,000 USD equivalent) + ~0.1% equity
Visa Sponsorship: International relocation and visa sponsorship supported — relocation assistance available including support for families and pets
Employment Type: Full-Time
About Aquila Earth
Aquila Earth is building an infinitely scalable energy network that powers a more abundant, limitless, and sustainable future. The company develops technology that beams energy through high‐powered lasers, charging drones mid-flight and converting light into electrical power through highly efficient energy links. Every challenge the team tackles sits at the cutting edge of physics, controls, optics, and engineering. A 15‐person, engineering‐dense team based in Sydney currently finishing its Series A raise — with plans to double headcount in the near future.
About the Role
As Senior Mechatronics Engineer, you'll own the mechatronics stack end‐to‐end and help build systems that deliver energy through light. You'll work across beam steering, control systems, firmware, electronics, safety systems, and integrated hardware platforms — designing, testing, and shaping foundational architecture from the ground up while solving problems no one has solved before.
What You'll Own
* Develop optical gimbals capable of pointing an invisible laser within millimeters of a drone flying kilometers away
* Design, implement, and validate advanced MIMO controllers and observers for high‐accuracy drone tracking
* Design, build, and validate precision test rigs with microsecond‐level repeatability
* Own the mechatronics stack end to end — actuators, sensors, electronics, and firmware
* Lead higher‐performance redesign efforts around precision beam steering and safety system timing
* Collaborate closely with electronics, firmware, optics, mechanical, and laser engineers in rotating project pods
Requirements
* Strong end‐to‐end mechatronics systems experience built from scratch
* Real‐world high‐performance control systems experience
* First‐principles problem‐solving ability without reliance on established playbooks
* C/C++ familiarity for embedded systems, firmware, or real‐time microcontroller development
* Bench‐level electronics debugging experience including schematics, circuits, and instrumentation
Nice to Have
* Formula SAE / Formula Student or comparable university engineering project experience
* Startup or scrappy engineering company experience with demonstrated ownership
* Familiarity with CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, and low‐level communications debugging
* Experience with or curiosity around functional safety systems and high‐power laser technologies
This Role Is NOT For
* Large‐company engineers without ownership experience
* 10+ years of experience without evidence of startup or hands‐on ownership mentality
* Pure software engineers lacking hardware integration and electronics debugging depth
Benefits
* ~0.1% equity with standard four‐year vesting
* Parental leave and self‐development stipend
* Fully equipped laser facilities and cutting‐edge hardware environment
* Snacks and maker‐friendly engineering workspace
* International relocation support including assistance for families and pets
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