The posting
Skyways designs, builds, and operates fully autonomous long-range cargo aircraft. Founded in 2017, the company has spent the last eight years developing and deploying autonomous logistics systems for real-world operations.
Our V2 aircraft carries 30 lbs up to 500 miles, and V3 has a maximum range of well over 1,000 miles, a maximum useful load of 100 lbs, and a maximum endurance of nearly 20 hours. Both use a hybrid-electric architecture that takes off like a helicopter and cruises like a plane, enabling long-range autonomous delivery without traditional runway infrastructure.
Today, Skyways aircraft operate across three continents in controlled national airspace under FAA oversight and in support of U.S. military operations. We are transitioning from prototype development to full-rate production and scaling toward large autonomous cargo fleets.
Backed by Y Combinator and a $37M AFWERX STRATFI award from the U.S. Air Force, Skyways is creating a new form of transportation to advance our civilization from Austin, Texas.
The Opportunity
Skyways is hiring a Systems Engineer to deliver defined systems engineering workstreams within larger aircraft development and integration projects.
You will turn system needs into testable requirements, resolve subsystem interfaces, and verify integrated hardware and software with Electrical, Mechanical, Software, Flight Test, Manufacturing, and Operations teams.
You will work independently on most tasks, apply established methods to increasingly ambiguous problems, and escalate blockers and decisions beyond your scope early.
What You'll Do:
- Develop Requirements & Interfaces: Translate assigned mission and system needs into clear requirements, interface definitions, and acceptance criteria. Keep requirements linked to design decisions and verification evidence.
- Integrate Aircraft Systems: Resolve hardware and software interface issues within your workstream. Evaluate configuration changes and their effects on connected subsystems, and document the configuration used for each test.
- Plan & Execute Verification: Develop test procedures and support bench, simulation, ground, and flight testing. Analyze results against acceptance criteria, document discrepancies, and verify corrections.
- Investigate System Anomalies: Use flight logs, telemetry, and test data to reproduce problems and evaluate possible causes. Work with subsystem owners and Reliability Engineering to validate corrective actions.
- Deliver & Communicate: Plan assigned work, track dependencies, and deliver accurate engineering documents and test results. Raise risks promptly, contribute constructively in reviews, and give and receive feedback.
What You'll Bring:
- Engineering education or equivalent practical experience relevant to aircraft systems, robotics, or other complex hardware and software products.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver discrete engineering workstreams independently within a larger project, with consistent quality and appropriate escalation.
- Working knowledge of requirements development, interface definition, configuration control, and verification and validation.
- Ability to troubleshoot across hardware and software boundaries using structured investigation methods and test evidence.
- Clear technical writing and communication, including requirements, test procedures, engineering reports, and constructive design-review feedback.
- Practical experience with hardware integration, instrumentation, and test equipment, with disciplined execution of approved test procedures.
- Ability to analyze engineering data and automate repeatable analysis using Python or comparable tools.
Bonus Points:
- Experience with autonomous aircraft, robotics, or other complex electromechanical systems.
- Familiarity with ArduPilot, MAVLink, DroneCAN, or comparable flight-control and communications tools.
- Experience with avionics, navigation, communications, propulsion, power, or flight-control integration.
- Experience with simulation, software-in-the-loop or hardware-in-the-loop testing, or requirements-management tools.
In addition to base salary, offers include stock options, so you own part of what you build. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, paid holidays, a 401k, and life insurance.
Relocation assistance is available for candidates moving to Austin.
Want to join our mission? Apply to learn more!
Due to U.S. government contract requirements, this role is limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or candidates from specific countries authorized under applicable export control regulations.
Skyways is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other factor protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.
