Senior Flight Test Engineer

JetZero•Long Beach, CA

2h•$130,000 - $170,000

About The Position

Today’s aircraft contribute around 4% of global CO2 emissions, equivalent to the emissions of 200 million cars. This is only going to increase: Air travel is forecasted to double by 2050, while meaningful efficiency gains using current airplanes have hit a wall. JetZero is developing a blended-wing body (BWB) aircraft. It uses up to 50% less fuel and will be built to accommodate zero-emission hydrogen propulsion. JetZero is the inevitable solution to sustainable air travel. The JetZero team We are experienced aerospace professionals and engineers, excited about the future. That future will only be possible if we share our vision and what it means to people’s lives: carbon-free flight that' is better for both passengers and airlines around the world. JetZero is seeking a Senior Flight Test Engineer to lead the planning, execution, and analysis of experimental aircraft flight tests supporting upcoming JetZero full scale demonstrator. This role provides technical and operational leadership within the flight test team and is responsible for ensuring safe, disciplined, and efficient test execution across multiple systems and test objectives. The Senior Flight Test Engineer acts as a primary technical authority during test planning and execution, working directly with flight test pilots, engineering leadership, and flight operations to expand aircraft capability and maturity.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or related field
10+ years of experience in experimental or developmental flight test engineering
Demonstrated experience leading flight test activities or acting as Test Conductor
Strong understanding of aircraft systems, flight test techniques, and operations
Experience authoring test plans, test cards, and formal test reports
Proficiency with flight test data analysis tools (MATLAB, Python, or equivalent)
Excellent technical judgment and decision-making skills in dynamic test environments
Strong leadership, communication, and coordination skills
Willingness to travel and support remote or austere test sites as required

Nice To Haves

Experience with fly-by-wire systems, advanced avionics, or novel aircraft configurations
Experience with certification or compliance flight testing
Prior leadership role in Telemetry Operations to include Test Conducting
Previous onboard flight test engineer experience
Pilot certificate, Graduate of a SETP Recognized Test Pilot School, or equivalent operational background
Experience developing or maintaining Flight Test Operations Manuals

Responsibilities

Lead flight test planning and execution for ground and flight test campaigns
Author and approve flight test plans, test cards, and procedures
Define test objectives, success criteria, and logical sequencing of test points
Lead or support flight readiness reviews, safety reviews, and risk assessments
Serve as Test Conductor / Test Director during ground and flight test events as appropriate
Coordinate across engineering disciplines to ensure system readiness and configuration control
Lead real-time test execution from the Telemetry Room / Telemetry Operations, including telemetry monitoring and real-time coordination with the flight crew
Perform and oversee post-test data analysis, anomaly resolution, and test reporting
Provide technical mentorship to junior and mid-level flight test engineers
Drive continuous improvement of flight test processes, tools, and documentation
Support certification, compliance, or regulatory test activities as required
Represent flight test engineering in program reviews and cross-functional forums