Systems Integration & Test Engineer (End to End Drone)

AIRO Group Holdings, Inc.•Phoenix, AZ

About The Position

AIRO Group is seeking a high-impact Lead SEIT (Systems Engineering, Integration, & Test) Engineer to spearhead the complete technical lifecycle, validation, and operational deployment of our next-generation Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS). This role serves as the ultimate engineering bridge, fusing cutting-edge software autonomy with ruggedized flight hardware to ensure unyielding interoperability, safety, and battlefield readiness. As a hands-on technical leader, you will initially dive deep into execution—building the automated testing pipelines, defining physical interfaces, and driving the live flight validation protocols that guarantee airworthiness. If you thrive on taking complex drone designs from concept (0) through rugged environmental testing and directly into the hands of operators, this is your opportunity to build, test, and field the future of flight.

Requirements

BS or MS in Aerospace, Electrical, Computer, or Systems Engineering with 5+ years of progressive, hands-on experience in aerospace, defense, or high-reliability robotics SEIT environments.
Deep practical knowledge of structural, electrical, and software sub-assemblies, including a proven track record of taking a drone design from scratch through hands-on builds.
Direct experience developing testing infrastructure using programming languages and tools such as Python, Robot Framework, C/C++, Git, and Docker.
Deep proficiency utilizing lab instrumentation (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, digital multimeters) and software debugging tools to isolate hardware-software faults.
Demonstrated success driving rapid R&D drone prototypes through rigorous flight qualification and scaled operational environments.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience managing or mentoring junior systems and test engineers.
Deep familiarity with PX4 Autopilot, ArduPilot, ROS2, and MAVLink protocols.
Experience conducting system-level SWaP-C trade studies and requirements allocation.
Deep working knowledge of MIL-STD, DO-178C, DO-254, or FAA compliance.
Experience integrating hardware alongside Python and Linux test tooling.
Knowledge of systems processes for test event design and flight planning.
Proficiency using data analysis tools to develop performance assessments and evaluations

Responsibilities

Develop V&V Plans: Author and maintain comprehensive system-level integration and verification plans mapping requirements directly to test cases and traceability artifacts.
Lead Cross-Discipline Integration: Drive interface integration across electronics, firmware, mechanical, software, and network domains to resolve technical ambiguities and ensure complete interoperability.
Manage Full-Lifecycle Testing: Plan, schedule, and execute all phases of testing, including Integration, System, Performance, Regression, and Acceptance verification at the complete Air Vehicle systems level.
Architect Test Infrastructure: Design, build, and maintain integration test benches, custom wiring harnesses, and physical fixtures to validate hardware interfaces under realistic conditions.
Deploy HIL/SIL Environments: Implement Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) emulation environments to actively exercise control logic and autonomous fault handling.
Build Automated Frameworks: Create and deploy automated and manual test frameworks (unit, integration, regression) to ensure rapid software modifications do not break baseline system capabilities.
Collaborate on Field Deployments: Work alongside engineering, flight operations, and customer teams to align on test scope, coordinate schedules, and analyze real-time telemetry during live testing campaigns