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
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.
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.
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Develop optical gimbals capable of pointing an invisible laser within millimeters of a drone flying kilometers away
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Design, implement, and validate advanced MIMO controllers and observers for high-accuracy drone tracking
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Design, build, and validate precision test rigs with microsecond-level repeatability
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Own the mechatronics stack end to end — actuators, sensors, electronics, and firmware
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Lead higher-performance redesign efforts around precision beam steering and safety system timing
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Collaborate closely with electronics, firmware, optics, mechanical, and laser engineers in rotating project pods
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Strong end-to-end mechatronics systems experience built from scratch
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Real-world high-performance control systems experience
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First-principles problem-solving ability without reliance on established playbooks
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C/C++ familiarity for embedded systems, firmware, or real-time microcontroller development
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Bench-level electronics debugging experience including schematics, circuits, and instrumentation
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Formula SAE / Formula Student or comparable university engineering project experience
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Startup or scrappy engineering company experience with demonstrated ownership
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Familiarity with CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, and low-level communications debugging
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Experience with or curiosity around functional safety systems and high-power laser technologies
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Large-company engineers without ownership experience
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10+ years of experience without evidence of startup or hands-on ownership mentality
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Pure software engineers lacking hardware integration and electronics debugging depth
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~0.1% equity with standard four-year vesting
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Parental leave and self-development stipend
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Fully equipped laser facilities and cutting-edge hardware environment
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Snacks and maker-friendly engineering workspace
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International relocation support including assistance for families and pets
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Hiring manager screen
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Take-home technical assessment
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Technical interview
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CEO / cultural / behavioral final round
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Offer
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Role is primarily onsite in Sydney (Marrickville) — ~5 days/week
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Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance available
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by David Joseph & Co., the recruiting partner managing this search on behalf of Aquila Earth.
