Flight Test Engineer

ABOUT POSEIDON AEROSPACE:

Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.

As a Flight Test Engineer at Poseidon Aerospace, you will lead the planning, preparation, and execution of flight and ground test campaigns across all Poseidon Aerospace flight platforms . You will bridge the gap between design engineering and real-world operations, taking full vehicle platforms from the laboratory environments straight to the flight line. This role requires a systems-level understanding of aircraft, a highly structured and safety-first approach to test execution, and the ability to analyze complex telemetry data into clear, actionable engineering results.

RESPONSIBILITIES

- Test Planning & Coordination: Develop comprehensive flight test plans, test cards, and functional hazard analyses (FHA) for full-scale autonomous aircraft systems and subsystems.

- Flight Line Execution: Act as a Test Director or Responsible Engineer during ground runs, taxi tests, and envelope-expansion flight test events.

- Data & Telemetry Analysis: Monitor real-time telemetry during flights. Collect, process, and interpret flight test data using scripting tools to assess vehicle performance, stability, and control, overall system performance, engine performance, and fuel system performance.

- Instrumentation & Integration: Define requirements for and support the installation of flight test instrumentation (FTI), sensors (strain gauges, load cells, pitot-static systems), and data acquisition systems onboard the test assets.

- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Avionics, Propulsion, Flight Controls, and Structural design, Flight Sciences, and Airplane Configuration Design teams to define objective pass/fail validation criteria.

- Safety & Operations: Lead pre-flight briefings and post-test debriefs. Enforce strict safety protocols on the flight line, identifying operational risks and implementing rapid mitigation strategies.

- Reporting & Documentation: Maintain meticulous traceability between regulatory/design requirements and test results. Write formal flight test reports documenting system anomalies, performance metrics, and airworthiness findings.

QUALIFICATIONS

- Experience: 5+ years as an experimental flight test engineer, or in aerospace systems validation, or in UAS/aviation flight operations.

- Education: Bachelor’s Degree in related field or equivalent experience

- Airplane Familiarization: Overall airplane-level familiarization, including aircraft operations and performance across fixed-wing platforms.

- Testing Rigor: Proven track record drafting detailed flight test cards, managing test configurations, and operating within highly structured flight test environments.

- Data Tools: Proficiency in MATLAB, Python, or similar languages for processing, reducing, and visualizing large flight-log datasets.

- Systems Familiarity: Strong foundational knowledge of data acquisition systems (DAQ), telemetry hardware, and sensor calibration.

- Field Readiness: Hands-on problem solver comfortable troubleshooting complex electrical, mechanical, or software anomalies on the flight line. Willingness to work outdoors at active test ranges under varying weather conditions.

BONUS POINTS FOR

- FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate or a private pilot’s license (PPL).

- Experience making aviation-standard VHF radio calls and communicating clearly in high-workload control room environments.

- Background working with heavy or large-scale remotely operated vehicles / autonomous systems (Group 3-5 UAS).

- Familiarity with FAA experimental certification processes, airworthiness standards, or military test protocols (MIL-STD).

- Basic CAD experience for designing simple test brackets, fixtures, or harness layouts.

WHAT YOU GET FROM US

- Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity

- Relocation support if applicable

- Employee Health Benefit Plans

- 6% Retirement matching

- Flexible PTO

- Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices

- AI tools and subscriptions