UAV Flight Test Specialist

Superwake Ltd.; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental benefits

Generous vacation and PTO

Job summary

Superwake Ltd. in North York, Ontario, is seeking a UAV Flight Test Specialist to plan, conduct, analyze and document flight testing for fixed-wing and VTOL aircraft.

This role turns engineering objectives into safe, structured flight tests through test planning, RPAS piloting, log analysis and reporting. Travel to the flying field is required; you will work with systems integration, engineering and QA to support aircraft development and validate changes.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years in UAV flight test/RPAS operations or related field.
• Education in RPAS/drone ops or aerospace engineering, or equivalent.
• Transport Canada Pilot Certificate – Basic Operations or higher.
• Experience with flight-test planning, field execution, checklists and reporting.
• Experience with fixed-wing UAVs in manual & autopilot modes.
• Experience with ground control software and flight log analysis.
• Comfortable outdoors in Canadian seasons; able to lift up to 50 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Create safe flight-test plans with checklists and go/no-go criteria.
• Conduct fixed-wing and VTOL UAV flight testing per regs.
• Operate UAVs in manual and autopilot modes; gather telemetry.
• Coordinate with observers, ground crew, and engineering teams.
• Monitor aircraft behavior, logs, and environment; document findings.
• Support readiness, transport, setup and teardown of equipment.
• Analyze flight logs and prepare comprehensive test reports.

Skills

Flight test engineering

RPAS operations

Aviation flight testing

Safety-minded

Outdoor work

Manual handling

Education

Post-secondary RPAS/drone operations

Aerospace Engineering

Equivalent professional experience

Tools

Ground control software

ArduPilot/PX4 open-source autopilots

Job description

Flight Ops Full Time North York, ON $65,000 - $75,000 CAD per year

Superwake is an aerospace and defense company based in North York, focused on the design, manufacturing, and operation of advanced uncrewed aerial vehicles. Our work combines aerospace engineering and modern manufacturing to create reliable aircraft designed for a variety of applications.

Superwake is a small, fast-moving team where engineers and technicians work directly on complete aircraft systems, from early design and prototyping to testing and real-world operations.

About the Role

We are hiring a UAV Flight Test Specialist to plan, conduct, analyze, and document flight testing for fixed-wing and VTOL aircraft. This role turns engineering objectives into safe, structured flight tests through test planning, execution, RPAS piloting, log analysis, and reporting. You will work closely with systems integration, engineering and QA to support aircraft development, validate system changes, identify issues, and provide clear feedback.

Flight testing is conducted regularly and requires travel to the flying field, approximately 45 minutes from the shop. The ideal candidate is safety-minded, technically strong, comfortable working outdoors year-round, and able to support aircraft development through disciplined testing and clear documentation.

Responsibilities

• Turn engineering objectives into safe, practical flight-test plans, including test cards, briefs, debriefs, go/no-go criteria, and field checklists.
• Conduct flight testing of fixed-wing and VTOL UAVs in accordance with Transport Canada regulations.
• Operate fixed-wing UAVs in manual and autopilot-controlled flight modes.
• Coordinate with visual observers, ground crew, engineering, QA, systems integration, and other flight-test participants.
• Monitor aircraft behavior, telemetry, communications, environmental conditions, and crew workload.
• Support aircraft/equipment readiness, maintenance, transportation, setup, and teardown.
• Analyze flight logs, prepare test reports, and track findings, issues, and follow-up actions.

Required Qualifications:

• 2–5 years of professional experience in UAV flight test engineering, RPAS operations, aviation flight testing, UAV development, or a closely related role.
• Post-secondary education in RPAS/drone operations, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Transport Canada Pilot Certificate – Basic Operations or higher.
• Experience with flight-test planning, field execution, checklists, troubleshooting, and reporting.
• Experience operating fixed-wing UAVs in manual and autopilot-controlled flight modes.
• Experience with common ground control station software.
• Experience with flight log analysis.
• Comfortable working in an outdoor environment in both Canadian winter and summer climates.
• Capable of performing physical labour, including lifting/pushing/pulling up to 50lbs.
• A valid driver's license.
• English language skills (both oral and written).
• Detail-oriented and safety-minded.

Additional Qualifications:

• Transport Canada Pilot Certificate – Advanced Operations or Level 1 Complex Operations.
• Restricted Operator Certificate – Aeronautical (ROC-A).
• Experience operating under a Special Flight Operations Certificate.
• Experience with VTOL, multirotor, or transition-flight testing.
• Experience with ArduPilot, PX4, or similar open-source autopilot ecosystems.
• Experience with aircraft performance tuning and knowledge of aircraft stability and control.
• Experience with development of SOPs and training material.

Work Model

• Location: Full-time onsite. You are expected to be in the shop or at the flying field most days.
• Employment Type: Full-time
• Reporting To: Engineering Lead
• Travel: Regular local travel to our flight test location is required. Occasional travel for extended flight test campaigns and demonstration flights may be required.

Compensation and Benefits

• Health and Wellness: All full-time employees will have access to our health and dental benefits plan.
• Vacation/PTO: We offer generous vacation and PTO to ensure you have the time off you need to maintain a healthy work/life balance.

Everyone is Welcome in our Airspace

At Superwake, we believe in providing an inclusive environment for everyone to share their ideas and grow. Without you, we cannot continue to grow as a company. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or gender identity. We are committed to being an equal opportunity employer and will provide accommodations upon request throughout our process.

Why Superwake?

At Superwake you will be able to experience a fast-paced work environment while also working with a close-knit team. We are a team who prides itself on offering a welcoming team-focused environment and aim to provide everyone with the necessary tools for success. For more information about our company visit www.superwake.ca .

**This posting is for an active role to fill a current opening**