Senior Flight Test Engineer

About the Role

The Senior Flight Test Engineer will join Firestorm Labs to lead design and execution of flight test plans, prioritize safety, and provide technical guidance on test objectives, instrumentation, and data systems while collaborating with autonomy engineers and aircraft integration teams. In this role the engineer will act as test conductor during flights, manage test readiness and debriefs, and produce technical artifacts that support internal development and customer deliverables across a variety of mission profiles and environments. • Lead developmental flight testing of sub‑scale and full‑scale UAVs in dynamic environments. • Design and conduct environmental stress tests (vibration, shock, thermal, moisture, fatigue). • Create detailed flight test plans, test cards, and safety procedures for engineering and production aircraft. • Serve as test conductor, managing briefings, Go/No‑Go decisions, and test discipline. • Plan and execute ground tests, including risk assessments and readiness reviews. • Analyze test data using DOE, regression, MATLAB, Simulink, or Python to guide engineering decisions. • Build custom test fixtures, data acquisition systems, and controlled validation setups. • Source, operate, and calibrate flight instrumentation ensuring signal integrity. • Collaborate with autonomy, software, hardware engineers and product leads to define test requirements. • Track and resolve flight squawks with proper documentation and traceability. • Conduct technical risk assessments and ensure compliance with FAA and internal safety regulations. • Document test results, root cause analyses, and corrective actions for internal and external stakeholders. • Standardize test documentation, tools, and processes across programs. • Coordinate with private and government ranges, obtaining regulatory approvals for flight testing. • Maintain FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot certification and RPIC responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸flight testing
• ▸test planning
• ▸data analysis
• ▸test fixtures
• ▸instrumentation
• ▸risk assessment

What You Bring

Required qualifications include a bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field (or equivalent experience), at least five years of flight test engineering experience with autonomous or remotely piloted systems, two years of RPIC experience, U.S. citizenship for ITAR compliance, and the ability to obtain a FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Preferred qualifications add seven or more years of relevant experience, an existing Part 107 certificate, defense flight‑test exposure, proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink, programming skills in C++ or Python, and comfort working in a fast‑paced startup environment. The position is based on‑site at Firestorm's San Diego headquarters, requires lifting up to 30 lb, PPE use, and up to 40 % domestic travel for testing and customer support, with flexible hours and exposure to varied outdoor weather conditions. • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Robotics or related field (or equivalent experience). • Minimum 5 years flight test engineering experience with autonomous or RPIC systems. • At least 2 years RPIC experience and U.S. citizenship for ITAR compliance. • Ability to obtain a DoD security clearance and FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. • Proficiency in test documentation, data analysis, and technical writing. • Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, C++, Python, and Design of Experiments methods (preferred). • Familiarity with FAA regulations, military airspace, and UAS safety protocols. • Strong communication, organizational, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.

Requirements

• ▸bachelor's
• ▸flight test
• ▸rpic
• ▸part 107
• ▸matlab
• ▸security clearance

Benefits

Compensation ranges from $95,000 to $165,000 USD, based on experience, education, certifications, location, and business needs. Benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, a 401(k) retirement savings plan, equity grants, unlimited PTO, generous holidays, parental leave, a lifestyle spending account, and 24/7 mental health resources. • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance. • 401(k) retirement plan with company match. • Equity grants for new hires. • Unlimited paid time off and generous holiday calendar. • Parental leave and lifestyle spending account. • 24/7 mental health resources, including therapy.

Work Environment

Onsite