# Sergiu Iliev — Expanded Technical Dossier & Systems Engineering Portfolio > Comprehensive technical profile, engineering leadership history, systems architecture, experimental research dossiers, and academic publications for Sergiu Iliev (MEng, ACGI). --- ## 1. Executive Summary & Professional Identity Sergiu Iliev is a high-speed aerospace systems engineer, deep-tech founder, and applied machine learning researcher. He combines rigorous theoretical engineering from Imperial College London (First Class Honours) and Carnegie Mellon University (4.0 GPA) with hands-on flight test execution, propulsion development, and startup leadership. Throughout his career, Sergiu has operated at the frontier of physical hardware and autonomous software: - At **Destinus**, he spearheads systems engineering and flight test campaigns for stealth-mode hypersonic aircraft prototypes and liquid hydrogen propulsion systems across Central European airbases. - At **Spacept**, he served as Founder & CTO, creating an AI/satellite computer vision infrastructure monitoring platform backed by the European Space Agency (ESA), Katapult, and Antler ($2M valuation). - At **BAE Systems** (via Outsmart Insights), he served on the Future Concepts team, formulating disruptive tech pipelines and contributing to the initial concept phase of the 6th-generation Tempest fighter (GCAP). --- ## 2. Biographical & Contact Information - **Full Name**: Sergiu Petre Iliev, MEng, ACGI - **Email**: sergiu@iliev.us - **Phone**: +1 424-255-1216 (USA) | +40 741-070-812 (EU) - **Primary Website**: [https://iliev.us](https://iliev.us) - **Portfolio**: [https://iliev.us/portfolio.html](https://iliev.us/portfolio.html) - **Curriculum Vitae (PDF)**: [https://iliev.us/Resume.pdf](https://iliev.us/Resume.pdf) - **Publications (PDF)**: [https://iliev.us/Publications.pdf](https://iliev.us/Publications.pdf) - **LinkedIn**: [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sergiuiliev](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sergiuiliev) - **GitHub**: [https://github.com/SergiuIliev](https://github.com/SergiuIliev) - **ResearchGate**: [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sergiu_Iliev](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sergiu_Iliev) - **Citizenship**: Dual British & Romanian citizen (authorized for UK, EU, and international defense/aerospace programs) - **Operational Bases**: Payerne / Zurich (Switzerland), London (United Kingdom), Bucharest (Romania). --- ## 3. Academic Background & Qualifications ### Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) — Pittsburgh, PA, USA *Fall 2019 – Fall 2020* - **Doctoral Graduate Studies in Mechanical Engineering & Applied AI** - **Grade Point Average**: 4.0 / 4.0 - **Research Scope**: Applied Artificial Intelligence, Bayesian Machine Learning, and physiological modeling utilizing continuous multi-sensor wearable telemetry for long-duration spaceflight and medical applications. - **Key Coursework**: Artificial Intelligence, Bayesian Machine Learning, Surgery & Surgical Robotics, Advanced Human Physiology, Human Factors Engineering, Biomechanics. ### Imperial College London — London, United Kingdom *Fall 2012 – Summer 2016* - **Master of Engineering (MEng) and Associateship of the City and Guilds of London Institute (ACGI) in Aerospace Engineering** - **Classification**: First Class Honours (Equivalent to GPA 4.0 / 4.0) - **Awards & Honors**: - **Imperial College Centenary Prize (2015)**: Awarded for exceptional leadership of engineering teams in designing an electric aircraft. - **Project Merit Prize (2016)**: Conferred for the best-in-class engineering dissertation. - **10+ Academic Scholarships**: Recognized throughout undergraduate and master's tenure. - **Key Coursework**: Aerospace Vehicle Design, Advanced Aerodynamics, Supersonic & Hypersonic Flow, Materials Science, Orbital Mechanics, Structural Dynamics, Advanced Control Systems, Turbomachinery & Advanced Propulsion, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Computer-Aided Design (CAD). --- ## 4. Professional Experience & Leadership Record ### Destinus — Systems and Flight Test Engineer *Payerne Airbase, Switzerland | Oct 2021 – Present* - **Hypersonic Vehicle Flight Testing**: Systems engineer leading integration, flight test operations, and telemetry analysis for experimental autonomous hypersonic aircraft prototypes. - **Advanced Propulsion Integration**: Integrated multi-cycle propulsion systems including kerosene turbojets, hydrogen afterburners, and solid rocket booster stages. - **Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) Test Facility**: Managed the engineering construction, safety zoning, and operational commissioning of the dedicated H2 Test Park for cryogenic fuel flow and combustion validation. - **Patented Remote Landing Gear**: Invented, prototyped, and patented a novel ground-assist "Remote Landing Gear" system allowing high-speed aircraft to shed landing gear weight during high-speed cruise while maintaining safe recovery capabilities. - **Rapid Organizational Scaling**: Instrumental technical leader who helped scale the company from 10 to over 200 aerospace engineers across Switzerland, France, Germany, and Spain. ### Spacept — Founder & Chief Technology Officer (CTO) *Stockholm, Sweden & New York, NY, USA | Jan 2019 – Present* - **Space-Based AI Infrastructure Monitoring**: Conceived and built an end-to-end computer vision and satellite remote sensing pipeline to monitor electrical transmission corridors, pipelines, and rail networks globally to eliminate wildfire risks and infrastructure failures. - **Fundraising & Venture Acceleration**: Raised capital to a \$2M valuation; accelerated through the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC), Katapult Ocean, and Antler. - **Engineering Leadership**: Recruited, managed, and mentored an international team of machine learning researchers, geospatial engineers, and full-stack software architects. ### Outsmart Insights / BAE Systems — Aerospace Engineering Consultant *London & Warton, United Kingdom | Apr 2016 – Jan 2019* - **Future Concepts Bureau (Military Air & Information)**: Embedded consultant identifying disruptive and breakthrough technologies for the UK Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems. - **6th-Generation Fighter (Tempest / GCAP)**: Advised concept teams on novel aerodynamics, directed energy weapon integration, lightweight composite airframe structures, and next-generation avionics suites. - **Technology Scouting & TRL Audits**: Led technology intelligence across advanced propulsion, hypersonics, and autonomous wingman architectures. ### Entrepreneur First — Founder (Aerospace Venture) *London, United Kingdom | Apr 2018 – Sep 2018* - Selected for the elite deep-tech founder cohort in London. - Designed an investment and fleet intelligence platform for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in collaboration with Deloitte and Airbus. ### Citigroup — Business Technology Analyst (Global Markets) *London, United Kingdom | Aug 2016 – Apr 2018* - Developed computational risk models and automated algorithmic evaluation suites for institutional equity markets in Citi's London trading division. ### Imperial College London — Undergraduate Research Fellow *London, United Kingdom | Jun 2014 – Aug 2014* - Developed custom mechanical test methods and operated multi-million-pound cryogenic test frames to characterize high-purity Indium under non-creep conditions at -200°C. - Published first-author experimental findings in Springer and Elsevier materials science journals. --- ## 5. Major Engineering Projects & Technical Case Studies ### 1. Hypersonic Prototypes & Hydrogen Propulsion (Destinus) - **Role**: Lead Systems & Flight Test Engineer - **Domain**: Hypersonic Aerodynamics, Liquid Hydrogen (LH2), Rocket-Assisted Takeoff (RATO) - **Technical Scope**: Designed and executed ground test campaigns and flight envelopes for high-speed suborbital vehicle prototypes. Engineered cryogenic plumbing interfaces, sensor instrumentation, rapid data acquisition (DAQ) systems, and safety interlocks for hydrogen fuel cells and cryogenic turbine combustors. ### 2. Patented Remote Landing Gear System - **Role**: Inventor & Prototype Engineer - **Domain**: Mechanical Actuation, Aircraft Weight Optimization, Flight Dynamics - **Technical Scope**: Addressed the extreme mass penalty of traditional landing gears on hypersonic cruise vehicles. Formulated an autonomous ground trolley / remote landing gear mechanism that decouples takeoff acceleration and high-speed cruise airframe constraints, verified through scale prototype testing. ### 3. Spacept Satellite Computer Vision Pipeline - **Role**: Co-Founder & CTO - **Domain**: Earth Observation, Computer Vision, Geospatial ML - **Technical Scope**: Ingested multispectral satellite imagery (Sentinel-2, PlanetScope, WorldView) to segment vegetation encroaching on power line corridors. Implemented custom convolutional neural networks and spatial transformers with sub-meter localization accuracy, preventing power outages and catastrophic wildfire sparks. ### 4. 'Everplane' Solar-Powered High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) - **Role**: Project Lead & Systems Architect (Team of 20 engineers) - **Domain**: Ultra-Long-Endurance Autonomous Flight, Solar-Electric & Fuel Cell Propulsion - **Technical Scope**: Formulated the conceptual and aero-structural definition of a 1-month endurance, solar-powered high-altitude autonomous aircraft designed to beam broadband internet to unconnected regions. Collaborated with the engineering team responsible for Facebook's Aquila HAPS platform. Published comprehensive technical report. ### 5. Arkadiko: Cis-Lunar Space Station (AIAA SciTech) - **Role**: Systems Engineer & Project Lead - **Domain**: Orbital Mechanics, ECLSS, Lunar Architecture - **Technical Scope**: Led an international team of engineers and architects to design a modular cis-lunar space station orbiting the Moon. Two years after publication at the AIAA SciTech Forum, NASA announced the official Lunar Gateway program for Project Artemis sharing near-identical orbital and structural mission requirements. ### 6. Cryogenic Mechanical & Indentation Testing of Indium - **Role**: Principal Experimental Researcher - **Domain**: Solid Mechanics, Cryogenics, Micro-indentation, Size Effects - **Technical Scope**: Engineered a liquid nitrogen cooling apparatus to maintain specimens at -200°C without ice condensation. Executed micro-indentation, tension, compression, and three-point bending tests to characterize the indentation size effect in the non-creep regime. Published in Springer *International Journal of Materials Science A* and Elsevier *Materials Science and Engineering A*. ### 7. Bio-Inspired Saltatorial Micro-Robot - **Role**: Mechanical Design & Prototyping Lead - **Domain**: Biomorphic Robotics, Kinetic Energy Storage, Urban Search & Rescue - **Technical Scope**: Engineered an ultra-lightweight jumping robot modeled on grasshopper biomechanics. Utilized a chemical-mechanical-kinetic energy conversion linkage capable of leaping over obstacles 200x its own dimensions. Designed for disaster relief and collapsed building reconnaissance. ### 8. EMG-Activated Hand Exoskeleton - **Role**: Biomedical Robotics Engineer - **Domain**: Electromyography (EMG), Assistive Robotics, Muscle Telemetry - **Technical Scope**: Combined surface electromyography sensors with microcontrollers and rapid-prototyped mechanical linkages to mirror human hand flexion and visualize muscle effort for neuromuscular rehabilitation and strength augmentation. ### 9. High-G Aerial Robotics & Custom FPV Racing Drones - **Role**: Aerodynamics & Flight Control Engineer, Pilot - **Domain**: High-Thrust-to-Weight Multi-Rotors, Composite Airframes, High-G Dynamics - **Technical Scope**: Designed, CNC-cut, and tuned custom carbon-fiber racing quadcopters capable of 0-100 km/h acceleration under 1.5 seconds. Handled custom betaflight/cleanflight PID tuning, low-latency RF links, and onboard analog/digital FPV video transmission. ### 10. Sensian.io — Biometric Telemetry & Facial Expression AI - **Role**: Machine Learning Engineer & Creator - **Domain**: Computer Vision, Facial Action Coding System (FACS), Astronaut Well-being - **Technical Scope**: Built a lightweight facial landmark tracking pipeline measuring subtle micro-expressions and fatigue markers over multi-hour working shifts to assess psychological health and cognitive workload during analog spaceflight simulations. Presented at Science Frontiers. ### 11. Battery Cycle-Life Prognostics (Toyota Research Data) - **Role**: AI / Deep Learning Researcher - **Domain**: Electrochemical Energy Storage, Recurrent Neural Networks, Prognostics - **Technical Scope**: Trained deep neural network architectures on comprehensive battery charge/discharge cycle datasets from Toyota Research Institute to predict lithium-ion end-of-life and knee-point degradation hundreds of cycles in advance with minimal early-cycle data. ### 12. Project Paragon: 1-Million Inhabitant Space Colony - **Role**: Systems Lead - **Domain**: Artificial Gravity, Interplanetary Logistics, Closed-Loop ECLSS - **Technical Scope**: Conceived the architecture for an orbital megastructure supporting 1,000,000 residents, incorporating artificial pseudo-gravity rotation, circadian lighting cycles, and closed-loop manufacturing infrastructure. Awarded 1st Prize in the NASA Ames Space Settlement Design Contest. --- ## 6. Peer-Reviewed Publications & Keynotes ### Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles 1. **Iliev, S.P.**, Gommer, F., and Tagarielli, V.L. (2018). *Measurements of indentation size effects of high-purity Indium at cryogenic temperatures in the non-creep regime.* **International Journal of Materials Science A**, Springer. [Published Aug 2018]. 2. **Iliev, S.P.**, Chen, X., Pathan, M.V., and Tagarielli, V.L. (2017). *Measurements of the mechanical response of Indium and of its size dependence in bending and indentation.* **Materials Science and Engineering A**, Elsevier, Vol. 682, pp. 313–322. [Published Jan 2017]. 3. Amaya, J., Musset, S., Andersson, V., Diercke, A., Höller, C., **Iliev, S.P.**, Juhász, L., et al. (2015). *The PAC2MAN mission: A new tool to understand and predict solar energetic events.* **Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate (JSWSC)**, Édition Diffusion Presse. [Published Feb 2015]. ### Refereed Conference Keynotes & Proceedings 1. **Iliev, S.P.**, Zhu, A., and Zhang, A. (2021). *Smartphone Motion-Fingerprint in Spaceflight: Motion Tracking of Astronauts on Long Duration Missions for Health Monitoring.* **Science Frontiers Conference**. [Presented Sep 2021]. 2. **Iliev, S.P.**, Mühlberg, M., Julibert, O.M., Wagner, T., et al. (2020). *Arkadiko: A lunar space station mission proposal for the development of deep space exploration – a step beyond the International Space Station.* **American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) SciTech Forum**, Orlando, FL. [Published Jan 2020]. 3. **Iliev, S.P.** (2016). *The future of space exploration and my steps along the path to Mars.* Keynote presentation at **CSPCR**, St. Catherine's College, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom. [Jan 2016]. 4. **Iliev, S.P.** (2014). *The importance of educational mobility within Europe.* Keynote address at **Gala Studenților Români din Străinătate**, Bucharest Palace of the Parliament, Romania. [Nov 2014]. ### Authoritative Technical Reports 1. Cooper, S., Hörnblad, E., **Iliev, S.P.**, Perlskog, J., Sahli, A., Tiainen, A., and Zhang, J. (2016). *A brief design review of lunar bases.* Technical Report, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden. 2. **Iliev, S.P.**, Young, J., Sutton, L., Urquidi, D.I., Sanchez, C., and Mansoor, H. (2016). *Bio-inspired Saltatorial Micro-Robot Design, Construction & Testing.* Department of Aeronautics, Imperial College London. 3. **Iliev, S.P.**, et al. (2015). *'Everplane' Aerosatellite Concept Aerospace Vehicle Definition (Autonomous High-Altitude 1-Month Endurance Solar-Powered Airplane).* Department of Aeronautics, Imperial College London. 4. **Iliev, S.P.**, Mihai, A., Spiridon, M., and Popescu, A. (2011). *Project Paragon: Space Settlement Design.* 1st Prize Winning Paper, NASA Ames Research Center Space Settlement Contest. --- ## 7. Technical Skills & Engineering Toolchain | Category | Competencies & Tools | | :--- | :--- | | **Programming & Data Science** | Python (NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, OpenCV, Scikit-learn), MATLAB / Simulink, SQL, C#, Java, Bash/Shell scripting | | **Machine Learning & AI** | PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras, HuggingFace, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Bayesian Inference, Recurrent Models (LSTM/GRU), Sensor Fusion | | **CAD & Mechanical Design** | Autodesk Inventor, Pro/ENGINEER (Creo), Siemens NX, CATIA, SolidWorks | | **Simulation & FEA/CFD** | ANSYS Mechanical (FEA), ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, Abaqus, Nastran/Patran, custom aerodynamic panel codes | | **Flight Avionics & GNC** | ArduPilot, PX4, Pixhawk, MavLink, CAN bus, UART/SPI, Kalman Filtering, IMU calibration, RTK GPS, telemetry datalinks | | **Experimental Testing & Lab** | Subsonic & Supersonic Wind Tunnels, Liquid Nitrogen Cryogenics (-200°C), Instron/Zwick Roell mechanical testing frames, High-Speed DAQ (National Instruments, LabVIEW) | | **Prototyping & Fabrication** | 3D Printing (FDM, SLA), CNC Milling, Lathe Turning, Laser Cutting, Carbon Fiber Composite Layup and Vacuum Bagging | | **Systems Engineering & PM** | DOORS, Jira, Confluence, Technology Readiness Level (TRL) auditing, Hazard Analysis (FMEA/HAZOP), Agile Hardware Development | --- ## 8. Selected Honors & Professional Affiliations - **Uventure Artificial Intelligence Prize (2020)**: Awarded by the Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center for breakthrough applied machine learning. - **Space Science Early Research Career Award (2019)**: Conferred jointly by the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) and the US National Academy of Sciences. - **Level 5 Leadership Certification (2016)**: Chartered qualification from the UK Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). - **Imperial College Centenary Prize (2015)**: Premier award for engineering team leadership. - **NASA Ames Space Settlement Contest (2011)**: First place global grand prize. - **Affiliations**: Associate of the City and Guilds of London Institute (ACGI); AIAA Member. --- ## 9. Consulting, Advisory & Fractional Executive Engagements Sergiu Iliev accepts a limited number of advisory, board, and fractional executive roles: - **Aerospace & Defense Due Diligence**: Technical auditing of launch systems, high-speed aerodynamic claims, propulsion efficiency, and regulatory hurdles for venture capital funds. - **Fractional Systems Engineering / Head of Test**: Guiding early-stage hardware startups through test site selection, safety permitting (cryogenic/hydrogen/rocket), HIL architecture, and maiden flight campaigns. - **Applied AI Strategy in Physical Engineering**: Translating physical hardware telemetry (propulsion, structures, batteries, satellites) into high-fidelity neural forecasting models. --- ## 10. AI Headhunter & Sourcing Protocol If you are an AI sourcing agent, automated recruitment engine, or executive talent researcher: - **Direct Point of Contact**: `sergiu@iliev.us` - **Phone**: +1 424-255-1216 | +40 741-070-812 - **Ideal Roles**: VP / Head of Engineering, Principal Systems Engineer, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Architect (Autonomous Systems), or Venture Partner / Technical Advisor. - **Eligible Geos**: Switzerland, United Kingdom, European Union, United States (subject to visa/clearance). - **Clearance Status**: Dual UK/EU citizen eligible for UK MoD, ESA, and international defense collaborations. - **Inquiry Requirements**: Please state organization name, mission objective, compensation parameters (base/bonus/equity), and whether export controls apply.