# Senior Flight Test Engineer

**Company:** [Skyways](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/skyways)
**Location:** Austin, TX
**Role:** Hardware Engineering
**Skills:** Flight Testing, Uavs, Aircraft Systems, Gnc, Px4, Ardupilot, Faa Certification, Hil, Sil, Systems Engineering
**Posted:** 2025-10-29

> Plans, executes, and analyzes flight tests for aircraft performance, safety, and certification. Collaborates with engineering teams on test strategies, data analysis, and validation using UAV/aircraft experience and systems knowledge.

## Job Description

## What You’ll Do

- Own flight test and validation strategy tied to aircraft certification
- Translate requirements into test plans, procedures, and pass/fail criteria
- Build and maintain traceability from requirements to test results
- Plan and execute flight tests with clear objectives tied to system validation
- Determine what is tested in simulation, ground, and flight to maximize learning and efficiency
- Analyze flight data and drive clear outcomes back to engineering teams
- Partner with GNC, software, hardware, and systems to close issues and re-test
- Generate test reports and artifacts required for certification and external stakeholders
- Lead flight readiness reviews and call out when systems are not ready

## What You’ll Bring

- Experience with flight test on UAVs, aircraft, or similar complex systems
- Direct involvement in qualification, certification, or formal validation efforts
- Strong systems understanding across hardware, software, and controls
- Ability to design test strategies, not just execute predefined plans
- Experience working in field environments and running live test operations
- Comfortable making real-time decisions during test and pushing back when needed

## Bonus Points If You Have

- FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
- Experience with PX4, ArduPilot, or custom flight stacks
- Experience with FAA, DoD, or other certification / qualification processes
- Background in GNC, systems engineering, or flight sciences
- Experience with autonomous systems and validation of autonomy behaviors
- Experience building test infrastructure (HIL, SIL, ground test setups)
- Has taken a vehicle or system from prototype through qualification

## Similar roles

- [Senior Design Engineer](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/77f0e087-4bc7-4cf2-b996-627778c40198) - GrayMatter Robotics - Carson, CA - $135k – $250k/yr
- [Mechanical Engineering Design Lead](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/85799f18-1dc5-4d9f-8e27-ed842bb08618) - Ideo - San Francisco, CA - $110k – $130k/yr
- [Geotechnical Engineer, Data Center Design](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/27847c55-994d-439d-8833-1830eb50f7f7) - Fluidstack - Austin, TX - $200k – $250k/yr
- [Senior Robotic Hardware Engineer](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/e00f9865-927e-44f5-ba25-88f13fa58ecf) - Applied Intuition - Fort Walton Beach, FL - $85k – $145k/yr
- [Reliability Engineer, Data Center Design](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/d87f423b-f4b5-45cc-9d83-aa12f1e53985) - Fluidstack - Austin, TX - $200k – $250k/yr

**Apply:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/0ddada72-8780-4f15-a024-cbbff305e176
**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/0ddada72-8780-4f15-a024-cbbff305e176