Flight Test Engineer I

Heven AeroTech • Bingen, WA

6d

About The Position

Working under the guidance of the Lead Senior Flight Test Engineer and reporting to the Director of Engineering, the Flight Test Engineer I supports the planning, execution, and analysis of flight tests for prototype and pre-production UAS. This role also contributes to aerospace engineering analysis by linking airframe and configuration changes to updated performance and flight dynamics predictions, modeling and simulation outputs, and verification evidence.
This is an early-career position that works closely with flight operations and cross-functional engineering teams. The Flight Test Engineer I develops proficiency through hands-on experience, producing high-quality test documentation and engineering analyses under senior guidance and review. Success in this role requires a hungry mindset—proactively seeking the next step, anticipating needs in test execution and analysis, and continuously improving technical contributions. It also requires humility, emphasizing team success, sharing credit, and learning from others. Strong interpersonal awareness (“smart”) is essential to collaborate effectively across disciplines, communicate clearly, and operate effectively in dynamic flight test environments.
In addition to flight test responsibilities, the role supports broader aerospace engineering efforts and serves as a contributor to airframe-related analysis under senior direction, including aerodynamic modeling, performance and stability assessments, and translating configuration changes into testable predictions and verification evidence.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering (or a closely related discipline with strong aerospace/flight sciences focus)
• 0–2 years of relevant experience (internships, co-ops, research labs, capstone projects, or UAS teams)
• Fundamental understanding of aerodynamics, aircraft/UAS performance, stability and control, and flight mechanics
• Ability to perform engineering analysis and data processing using MATLAB and/or Python
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality documentation
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience supporting UAS flight testing, including test card development and post-flight analysis
• Familiarity with autopilot and GCS ecosystems (Applied Navigation Quattro/QET, ArduPilot, PX4, or similar)
• Exposure to GNSS performance evaluation, including degraded or contested environments
• Exposure to automated or visual-based landing evaluation
• Experience with aerodynamic modeling tools (AVL, vortex lattice methods, CFD)
• Familiarity with requirements traceability and verification/validation practices
• Familiarity with ADS-B / DAA / airspace integration considerations for UAS testing
• Experience working in multidisciplinary engineering teams

Responsibilities

• Support development of flight and ground test plans, test cards, and test procedures under the direction of Senior Flight Test Engineers, proactively identifying gaps and next steps
• Help define test objectives, success criteria, and data requirements in collaboration with cross-functional teams, emphasizing shared ownership and team success
• Assist with test readiness activities, including configuration verification, instrumentation checks, test article conformity, and pre-brief/debrief documentation
• Support traceability between requirements, test procedures, and test results, maintaining disciplined and organized documentation
• Support on-site flight test operations (flight line and/or control room), including checklists, configuration checks, coordination with operators/maintainers, and disciplined test logging, while demonstrating strong situational awareness and sound judgment
• Support envelope build-up and expansion activities under supervision, approaching work with diligence and a safety-first mindset
• Support ground test execution to retire risk prior to flight, consistently looking for opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness
• Support instrumentation and telemetry setup and validation, ensuring data quality and completeness
• Perform post-test data reduction and analysis using MATLAB and/or Python, producing clear, accurate, and actionable results
• Assist with test reports and presentations, documenting setup, procedures, results, anomalies, and follow-up actions while appropriately recognizing team contributions
• Support updates to analysis models when airframe configurations change
• Assist with aerodynamic and stability/performance modeling using AVL, vortex lattice methods, jet vortex lattice approaches, and CFD
• Support weight, center of gravity, and static stability analysis
• Use modeling and simulation outputs to support performance predictions, stability and control expectations, and pre-flight planning
• Assist in correlating predictions to test data and clearly communicating discrepancies for engineering review
• Support integration testing of avionics, autopilot, sensors, data links, and payload interfaces, contributing to structured troubleshooting efforts
• Support verification and validation activities by collecting test evidence and maintaining organized artifacts
• Participate in discrepancy tracking and resolution in collaboration with Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing teams, demonstrating humility, accountability, and strong teamwork

Benefits

• medical, dental, and vision coverage
• retirement plans
• paid time off/sick
• additional protections such as critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident coverage, and short- and long-term disability

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level