Senior Flight Test Engineer

About the role

Firestorm Labs is seeking an experienced Senior Flight Test Engineer to join our Flight Test Team. We are advancing flight control and automation technology through rigorous and continuous flight testing. As a Senior Flight Test Engineer, you will play a key role in validating and maturing Firestorm’s UAV platforms across a wide range of mission profiles and test environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute developmental flight testing using sub-scale and full-scale UAVs in dynamic environments
• Create and refine detailed flight test plans, test cards, and safety procedures for both engineering and production aircraft
• Serve as test conductor during flight events, leading briefs, managing Go/No-Go criteria, and ensuring test discipline
• Plan, organize, and lead ground tests to support system validation, including risk assessments and readiness reviews
• Analyze test data using techniques such as Design of Experiments (DOE), regression analysis, etc. to drive engineering decisions
• Build custom test setups, fixtures, and data acquisition tools for controlled, repeatable validation campaigns
• Research, source, and operate flight instrumentation; ensure calibration and signal integrity for flight-critical data
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including autonomy, software, hardware engineers and product leads, to define test requirements
• Conduct thorough technical risk assessments and ensure compliance with FAA and internal safety regulations
• Document test results, root cause analyses, and corrective actions; communicate findings to both internal and external stakeholders
• Contribute to the standardization of test documentation, tools, and processes across programs
• Collaborate with private and government test ranges to conduct flight testing and obtain appropriate regulatory approvals

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Robotics, or a related field; may substitute equivalent hands-on experience in lieu of a degree
• Minimum 5 years of experience as a flight test engineer, with a strong emphasis on autonomous, or remotely piloted systems
• U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR regulations & the ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance
• Willingness to obtain a FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
• Familiarity with flight documentation including checklists, test cards, and post-flight reports
• Proven skill in collecting and analyzing test data, identifying anomalies, and recommending design improvements
• Familiarity with FAA regulations, military airspace, and safety protocols for UAS operations
• Experience reading engineering design documents, system architectures, and customer requirements
• Strong communication and organizational skills; ability to clearly present technical information to cross-functional teams and customers
• Strong technical writing skills for documentation, SOPs, and manufacturing procedures
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint)

Preferred Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience as a flight test engineer, with a strong emphasis on autonomous, or remotely piloted systems
• 2+ years of RPIC experience
• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
• Experience supporting or participating in defense or military flight test environments
• Experience writing test plans for FAA certification programs and producing customer-facing reports
• Proficiency with MATLAB, Simulink, or similar tools for analyzing and visualizing test data
• Hands-on experience with flight instrumentation, telemetry systems, and data acquisition tools
• Proficiency with C++, Python, or scripting for automation and data post-processing
• Experience applying Design of Experiments (DOE) or similar methods for system testing and optimization
• Strong understanding of environmental test standards (MIL-STD, RTCA/DO, etc.) and experience designing tests to these specifications
• Comfortable in a startup or rapid R&D environment, with evolving scope and high autonomy
• Familiarity with UAS simulation tools and environments used in autonomous systems development
• FAA Class III (or higher) Medical Certificate