Arkeus builds AI-powered sensing systems that help autonomous platforms detect, track and understand what's happening in the most complex and contested environments.
Our technology is deployed across defence and national security applications — already protecting lives and strengthening security across the U.S. and allied markets.
Backed by QIC, Main Sequence, R+VC, Salus Ventures, Folklore Ventures, DYNE Ventures and Beaten Zone Venture Partners, Arkeus is entering a major growth phase.
We are a small, rapid-moving company with the energy and ambition of a start-up and the technical credibility of a world-class defence technology provider.
We work at the intersection of optics, autonomy, robotics and real-time AI and we deploy what we build.
If you want to ship technology that matters, not technology that ships decks, this is where you belong.
We have developed an inclusive, transparent and engaging culture that focuses on building a diverse workforce — realising that to attract the very best, we need to ensure our culture is ready to welcome people from all ages, genders and backgrounds.
About the Role
As Principal Scientist, you will provide deep technical leadership across the development of disruptive technologies and capabilities.
You'llwork closely with engineers, scientists, product leaders and defence customers toidentifyopportunities, develop new concepts, testhypothesesand turn research into practical, scalable systems.
You will be expected tooperateat both
strategic and technical depth
— setting scientific direction while being close enough to the technology to challenge assumptions, guide experiments and solve difficult problems.
About You
At Arkeus, we value Innovation, Responsiveness and Accountability.
That means we're looking for someone who:
Innovates — challenges conventional thinking and pursues technically ambitious ideas.
Responds — moves quickly from hypothesis to experiment, learns from failure and adapts.
Takes accountability — owns technical outcomes and is willing to make difficult calls when the evidence demands it.
You don't need to have every answer.




You do need to know how to find the answer.
Key Responsibilities
Define and lead the scientific roadmap fordisruption technologies and capabilities.
Identifyemerging technologies, research opportunities and technical approaches that could create a significant operational advantage.
Develop and test novel concepts through modelling, experimentation,prototypingand field trials.
Translate complex scientific problems into practical engineering challenges and deliverable outcomes.
Work across disciplines includingsensing, optics, AI/ML, signal processing, physics, autonomy,electronicsand systems engineering.
Provide technical leadership to scientists and engineers, raising the scientific and engineering capability of the team.
Partner with Product and Engineering to transition research concepts into robust, deployable technology.
Engage with defence customers, research organisations,universitiesand industry partners.
Define experiments and technical demonstrations that rapidlyvalidateor kill ideas.
Build intellectual property, technicalknowledgeand differentiated capability forArkeus.
Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
RepresentArkeusexternally through technical partnerships, researchprogramsand relevant industry forums.
Your Experience and Skills
We're looking for a deep technical thinker and builder — someone who has demonstrated they can take difficult, ambiguous scientific problems and turn them into real-world capability.
You will likely have:
A PhD or equivalent advanced technical expertise in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline.
Significant experience in
advanced R&D;, applied science or deep-tech product development
.




Deep expertise in one or more relevant areas such as:
Physics / applied physics
Optics / photonics
Electromagnetics
Signal processing
RF / sensing
AI / machine learning
Control and autonomous systems
Electronic warfare / countermeasure technologies
Advanced materials or energy systems
Strong mathematical, analytical and experimental capabilities.
Experience working across multidisciplinary technical teams.
The ability to distinguish genuinely transformative technology from incremental improvement.
Strong communication and technical storytelling skills.
Experience working within defence, aerospace, national security or another highly regulated/high-consequence environment is highly desirable.
Why Join Arkeus
We make incredible things, you will be working in a company at the forefront of innovation in Australia.
You will collaborate with exceptional leaders who have 40+ years of combined experience in autonomy, optics and defence.
You will be learning from — and contributing to — the best in the field.
You will become part of a close-knit, ego-free team where ideas compete on merit, not seniority.
Low politics, high trust.
The kind of team you will still be talking about in ten years.
You will work hard and be expected to bring your best — and in return, you will grow faster than you ever would at a large organisation.
You will work on technology that is already deployed in real environments — protecting lives and strengthening security across defence and national security applications.
You will receive a competitive, market-benchmarked salary, structured career pathways built to grow with you, and the opportunity to participate in our Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP).
You will have the opportunity to mentor bright emerging talent through our highly sought-after intern program and strong connections with leading universities.
If this sounds like you, please apply even if you don't check every box listed above and join our growing team in improving security and saving lives!
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📌 Principal Scientist (Victoria)
🏢 Arkeus Career
📍 Victoria