Flight Test Engineer - UAV Pilot & Data Specialist

Saab UK; England; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Saab UK is seeking a Flight Test Engineer to manage preparation and support of UAV flight operations. This role bridges engineering and field testing, driving rigorous evaluation through test planning, flight execution, and deep-dive analysis.

The successful candidate will ideally serve as a UAV pilot, ensuring safety and regulatory compliance across the testing lifecycle, with opportunities to contribute to advanced defence technologies.

Qualifications

• Experience in uncrewed or crewed flight test operations.
• UAV pilot certification, capable of manual and autonomous flight.
• Strong analytical skills for interpreting flight data and telemetry.

Responsibilities

• Test Planning: Design and author comprehensive flight test plans, risk assessments, and procedures aligned with objectives and safety standards.
• Flight Preparation: Oversee the preparation, ground testing, and final checks of UAV systems prior to flight operations.
• Flight Test Execution: Lead or heavily support active flight testing in the field, operating as a UAV pilot to gather telemetry and performance data.
• Post Flight Analysis: Download, processing, and analysing flight data to evaluate system performance against design metrics.
• Reporting: Generate detailed flight test reports, presenting metrics and actionable insights to engineering teams.

Skills

UAV flight testing

Telemetry analysis

UAV pilot certification

Job description

Saab UK is seeking a Flight Test Engineer to manage preparation and support of UAV flight operations. This role bridges engineering and field testing, driving rigorous evaluation through test planning, flight execution, and deep-dive analysis.

The successful candidate will ideally serve as a UAV pilot, ensuring safety and regulatory compliance across the testing lifecycle, with opportunities to contribute to advanced defence technologies.