Senior Staff Flight Test Engineer (R2634)
Shield AI
What you'll do:
- Own and execute the system-level test strategy for the V-BAT UAV across lab, ground, and flight environments.
- Lead multi-disciplinary teams in the development, execution, and analysis of complex ground and flight test campaigns.
- Serve as principal test conductor during critical operations, overseeing flight readiness reviews, risk assessments, pre- and post-flight briefs, and safety-critical decision-making.
- Define and manage test configurations, including aircraft hardware, ground control systems, software baselines, and instrumentation assets.
- Develop and enforce standard operating procedures, test documentation standards, and continuous improvement practices across the test organization.
- Mentor junior and mid-level engineers on test engineering best practices, systems thinking, and root cause analysis.
- Drive out-of-cycle investigative test efforts, coordinating directly with engineering and product teams to validate new capabilities or resolve emergent issues rapidly.
- Lead qualification efforts, including Functional Acceptance Testing, test procedure development, and integration of hardware-in-the-loop and software-in-the-loop platforms.
- Collaborate closely with systems engineering, software, mechanical, and avionics teams to ensure verification activities trace to requirements and mission objectives.
- Author and present artifacts for safety reviews, regulatory submissions, and customer-facing technical documentation.
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or a related STEM discipline.
- 10+ years of experience in flight test engineering, with a proven track record of leading UAV or aircraft test programs from concept through validation.
- Deep experience designing, planning, executing, and analyzing both developmental and qualification test events.
- Demonstrated success working in cross-functional teams, especially in systems integration and root cause resolution.
- Hands-on proficiency with flight test instrumentation, telemetry systems, test planning tools, and post-flight data analysis.
- Exceptional communication and leadership skills, capable of influencing technical direction and driving execution in high-stakes environments.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to thrive under pressure in a dynamic flight test environment.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience with MATLAB, Python, or similar tools for test automation and data analysis.
- Familiarity with MIL-STD-810 or other military environmental test protocols.
- Prior experience with UAV operations, flight safety protocols, and FAA Part 107 operations.
- Experience building or prototyping small aircraft or RC systems.
- Proven background in leading R&D test programs in fast-paced or startup environments.