Tekever is expanding its presence in Ukraine: who the company is looking to hire and what goals it aims to achieve

Tekever, a Portuguese drone manufacturer, has announced plans to develop its infrastructure in Ukraine and expand its local team. Defender Media spoke with Tekever Ukraine director Kateryna Bezsudna about the company’s key goals for 2026.

What the Ukrainian office focuses on

According to the press release, the company is transitioning to systematic work in Ukraine – “with a local team, infrastructure, and long-term vision.” Kateryna Bezsudna specifies that the local office has three goals for 2026:

1. Hiring a core team.
2. Creating the operational, technical, and logistical infrastructure (hubs, processes, support) necessary for stable operation and scaling.
3. Developing partnerships and integrations with Ukrainian manufacturers and technology companies to localize solutions and improve product efficiency.

“In Ukraine, we are starting with integrations and testing technologies together with local manufacturers. In practice, the process often takes months. Our main focus is on the integration of communication systems. As for M&A, it is only possible when the partner is operationally and technologically ready,” Tekever Ukraine explains its integration goal.

The company does not disclose the volume of investments in Ukrainian infrastructure. There are also no plans to launch full-scale production here by 2026. “It all depends on whether the company achieves the goals set for this year and what the results will be,” the company adds.

Who are they looking for

Tekever Ukraine are looking for engineers whose tasks will include integration, testing, maintenance, and training in working with Tekever platforms. These are AR3 and AR5 drones, which, according to the manufacturer, have flown 50,000 hours in Ukraine.

The following vacancies are currently available:

• UAS Integration, Trials and Evaluation Engineer – Team Lead
• Integration, Trials and Evaluation Engineer
• Maintenance Team Lead
• UAS Maintenance Technician
• UAS Composite Repair & Fabrication Technician
• UAS Lead Instructor
• UAS Instructor

Tekever manufactures reconnaissance UAVs based on its own AI platform, which combines Edge AI, satellite communications, and cloud computing. Last year, it became a unicorn – after another round of investment, it was valued at over $1 billion.

The company opened its Ukrainian office in April 2025. At that time, Tekever planned to expand its staff in Ukraine, increase its network of engineering, service, and research facilities, and create new training centers. In September, Kateryna Bezsudna, co-founder of the Defence Builder accelerator, took over as head of the local office.