SAR System Engineer

Overview

Who we are:

SAPPER INTELLIGENCE is building a remote sensing revolution! Our AI powered sensors bring exploration and reconnaissance to a new dimension. We develop solutions that overcome human limitations of sensing and recognition. Our systems enable the detection and inspection through soil and other materials. We will see through everything! With government customers and strong funding - we will give you all you need for excellence.

Your Job:

We are looking for SAR Engineering Talents with hands-on experience and passion in building and integrating SAR solutions. Your primary responsibility will be to design, implement, and optimize the SAR system architecture and the software pipeline that transforms raw radar impulses into the best possible SAR imagery .

The ideal candidate has experience building complete, production-grade SAR systems for airborne platforms (UAV, airplane, satellite) across the full product lifecycle, from concept to deployment.

You will work closely with algorithm specialists, and software developers to ensure that our radar data processing is efficient, accurate, and scalable.

You will be part of a small, early and focused team working closely with the company founders.

• Your actions will directly shape and impact the technical advancements.
• You will design, assemble, and test advanced SAR systems, especially airborne (UAV) configurations.

Responsibilities

• Design, assemble and test a UAV based ground-penetrating SAR payload (GPSAR)
• Optimize the raw radar (lvl. 0) returns for high-quality SAR image processing
• Develop, test, and optimize imaging algorithms (back-projection, range-Doppler, Omega-K, etc.)
• Build production-ready processing frameworks that are reliable, scalable, and suitable for real-time or near-real-time operation
• Implement motion compensation, time-zero alignment, geometric spreading correction, background subtraction, and other SAR-specific corrections
• Work with RF hardware and platform teams to integrate the pipeline into a deployable payload.
• Contribute across the SAR system development lifecycle — from simulation and design through testing, validation, and deployment
• Ensure efficient use of compute (GPU/CPU) for high-speed SAR image generation
• Work with AI engineers to provide clean, high-quality SAR data outputs for automated detection and classification tasks

Required Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), ideally having worked on end-to-end system design on airborne platforms
• Proven experience in SAR image formation algorithms and processing pipelines
• Hands-on software development experience in Python, C++, or CUDA (GPU acceleration a big plus)
• Experience with SAR payloads for airborne platforms (aircraft, UAVs or satellites)
• Knowledge of radar systems, RF fundamentals, and signal processing
• Experience with motion compensation, calibration, and error correction techniques in SAR
• Strong system-level thinking: ability to bridge between algorithm R&D and deployable production code

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with material penetrating SAR (soil, foliage or other)
• Experience working on defense-grade SAR systems

Who Should Apply

Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we strongly encourage you to apply. We value practical experience, problem-solving skills, a start-up-like attitude and a hands-on mindset.

Why us

Obsessed with SAR, RF and AI? - stop what you are doing and join us!

Be part of a fast-moving startup with real-world impact. Work directly with the founders on cutting-edge technology. What we build together will save lives and make this world a better place.

We offer competitive compensation, VSOP options, a hands-on environment where ideas turn into products fast. You will be one of the pioneers building this technology and our company from the ground up.

Our base is a former Berlin Airport, complete with a huge outdoor testing area, making it one of the coolest work locations in the world. We have secured strong funding to get you all the tools and support you need.