Senior Flight Test Engineer

Auterion•Manassas, VA

About The Position

At Auterion, the US Flight Operations team tests, validates, and demonstrates multi-platform unmanned systems for enterprise and government customers. The Senior Flight Test Engineer plans, flies, and analyzes tests across Group 1–3 platforms, including VTOL, fixed-wing, multirotor, and FPV aircraft, as well as multi-vehicle swarm operations. The role owns test objectives from planning through execution and reporting, and represents Auterion’s capabilities to customers. It is suited to a safety-minded engineer and pilot who adapts quickly to unfamiliar platforms, flies precisely under pressure, and can mentor others. The engineer develops platform-specific proficiency, handling-qualities knowledge, and emergency procedures; tests aircraft, ground control stations, radios, and payloads in their intended configurations; and evaluates behavior under communication-loss and GPS-loss conditions. The role also maintains and repairs test vehicles, enforces flight safety, leads field campaigns and customer demonstrations, and develops subject-matter expertise in Auterion hardware and software, including Skynode, PX4, AuterionOS, Auterion Mission Control, and Auterion Suite. Travel is up to 60%.

Requirements

A technical degree in aerospace, mechatronics, robotics, mechanical, electrical, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
A structured, data-driven approach to testing.
Demonstrated piloting experience across a variety of Group 1–3 UAS, including VTOL, fixed-wing, and multirotor aircraft.
Experience piloting swarms, with multiple vehicles operated at once; ability to demonstrate a broad flight-hour history and adapt quickly to new airframes.
Strong hands-on FPV piloting skills, such as racing, freestyle, operational, or tactical use.
Prior experience in flight test, military or government UAS operations, or a comparable aviation or robotics test environment.
Proficiency writing test plans and test cards and reporting results.
Experience building, tuning, maintaining, and repairing drones.
Ability to brief, fly, and communicate clearly and calmly with warfighters, program offices, and technical stakeholders.
Knowledge of U.S. safety regulations for UAS testing and flying.
FAA Part 107 certification, or ability to obtain it.
U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

Soldering, wiring, and assembly skills.
Familiarity with the PX4 ecosystem, ground control stations such as QGroundControl and Auterion Mission Control, and flight log analysis tools.
Additional pilot ratings, such as manned aircraft ratings or military UAS qualifications.

Responsibilities

Develop test plans, test cards, and success criteria, and execute developmental, integration, and acceptance flights across Group 1–3 VTOL, fixed-wing, quadcopter, and FPV platforms.
Rapidly transition to new and non-COTS aircraft, documenting platform-specific proficiency, handling qualities, and emergency procedures.
Operate FPV platforms for testing, evaluation, and demonstrations, including high-precision, low-altitude, and dynamic maneuvering.
Plan and fly multi-vehicle swarm operations, including launch, recovery, and deconfliction; evaluate swarm behavior, inter-vehicle communication, and operator workload; and verify safe operation of multiple aircraft.
Own data collection, log analysis, and test reporting; document whether objectives were met and provide findings and recommendations.
Lead and fly customer-facing demonstrations for DoD and enterprise stakeholders, helping operators understand and trust the system.
Test aircraft, ground control stations, radios, and payloads together in intended configurations, including communication-loss and GPS-loss behavior and expected operating environments.
Translate product requirements and new features into test objectives; provide actionable engineering feedback and drive root-cause analysis on failures.
Maintain, inspect, repair, and control configurations of test vehicles to keep aircraft airworthy.
Apply range safety, risk assessment, and go/no-go discipline, and promote safe operating procedures across the team.
Mentor junior pilots and engineers in airmanship, test discipline, and platform knowledge, and help establish proficiency and training standards.
Lead logistics and setup for off-site test campaigns and deployments.
Develop in-depth knowledge of Auterion hardware and software, including Skynode, PX4, AuterionOS, Auterion Mission Control, and Auterion Suite.