Flight Test Engineer

SkyBound; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

23 days annual leave

Free on-site parking and EV charging

Industry-relevant training and dev

Flexible, casual working environment

Health and wellbeing support

Free tea, coffee and fruit

Job summary

SkyBound is seeking a Flight Test Engineer to join our Testing team in a hybrid role based at our Southampton HQ. You will integrate and test fixed-wing, VTOL and multi-rotor UAS, work with Design, Software and Engineering teams, and coordinate with external stakeholders to test new capabilities.

You will plan test programmes, execute BVLOS flights from Southampton or on-site, and feed learnings back into how we operate—troubleshooting equipment in the field and documenting findings for

Qualifications

• Demonstrable UAS piloting experience in an R&D environment.
• Excellent communication with internal teams and clients.
• Ability to perform dynamic risk assessment under pressure.
• Proven ability to plan and manage own workload independently.
• Collaborative, team-first approach and openness to new ways of working.

Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct safe, compliant test flight operations with cross-functional teams.
• Operate as Remote Pilot BVLOS across the UK and internationally.
• Define and execute test programmes for software, hardware and systems.
• Troubleshoot field equipment and document findings for procedures.
• Produce accurate post-flight reports and escalate anomalies.
• Liaise with internal teams to feed lessons learned into procedures.

Skills

UAS piloting experience

Strong communication

Risk assessment

Independent planning

Team collaboration

Full UK driving licence

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

ArduPilot Mission Planner

QGroundControl

Job description

Location: Hybrid from our Southampton HQ

Right to work: Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

About SkyBound

SkyBound delivers automated drone operations for critical national infrastructure, providing real-time aerial intelligence to support safety, security and faster decision-making.

We combine software, AI and remote operations, with systems managed from our Southampton-based 24/7 control centre and deployed across the UK in some of the most complex airspaces to enable rapid response and continuous site awareness.

As we continue to scale, we are looking for a driven Flight test Engineer to join the team and help shape the future of autonomous operations.

The Role

We're looking for a Flight Test Engineer to join our Testing team, integrating and testing fixed-wing, VTOL and multi rotor UAS. You'll assess new markets and aircraft platforms alongside our Design, Software and Engineering teams, and work with external stakeholders to develop and test new capabilities.

In practice, you'll be doing three things: flying test programmes (including BVLOS, from Southampton or on-site), defining and running the test programmes themselves, and feeding what you learn back into how we operate - troubleshooting equipment in the field, writing up findings, and helping shape procedure.

What you'll do

• Plan and conduct safe, compliant test flight operations, working with the operations and technical teams to confirm requirements and site suitability
• Operate as Remote Pilot BVLOS across the UK and internationally, from the Remote Operations Centre or on-site
• Define and execute test programmes for new software, hardware and systems, evaluating performance and new features
• Identify and troubleshoot equipment issues and non-standard behaviour in the field, maintaining equipment to compliance standards
• Manage risk dynamically during flight trials, and produce accurate post-flight reports, escalating bugs and anomalies as needed
• Liaise with internal teams before, during and after operations, and feed lessons learned into procedure development

What you'll need

• Demonstrable experience piloting UAS in a research and development environment. A UK GVC or A2CofC is not required if you can robustly evidence equivalent experience - including international or defence-sector backgrounds
• Strong communication with both internal teams and external clients
• Sound judgement and problem-solving under pressure, including dynamic risk assessment
• Proven ability to independently plan, prioritise and own your own workload
• A collaborative, team-first approach and openness to suggesting new ways of working
• A full UK driving licence
• Willingness to travel within the UK, including possible maritime deployments
• Comfort working with sensitive, confidential information

Nice to have (not required — we'd rather hear about relevant experience than tick every box)

• Hands-on experience with fixed-wing or VTOL UAS using flight software such as ArduPilot Mission Planner or QGroundControl
• Aviation qualifications relating to UAS design, test flight operations, safety or risk management
• A relevant bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

What we offer

• 23 days annual leave plus public holidays
• Free on-site parking and EV charging points
• Industry-relevant training and development, internal and external
• Flexible, casual working environment
• Health and wellbeing support, including a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Free tea, coffee and fruit