UAS Flight Test Engineer

Syos Aerospace; Fareham; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

SYOS Aerospace is seeking an experienced UAS Flight Test Engineer to take aircraft prototypes through flight-testing, evaluation and into operational capability. The role blends hands-on testing with flight operations leadership, data analysis and safety governance.

You will plan campaigns, develop test plans and risk assessments, coordinate live tests, and communicate findings to engineers and pilots while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Systems Engineering or related technical discipline.
• 3+ years' experience leading complex UAS flight trials in regulated environment.
• Proven experience flight testing fixed-wing and/or rotary-wing UAS.
• Strong experience with structured test processes, including test cards, test plans and risk assessments.
• Experience working within a regulated UAS or aviation organisation.
• Experience leading small operational teams.
• Understanding of flight safety, operational risk and safety management systems.
• Experience planning and commanding VLOS and BVLOS operations.
• Ability to interpret telemetry, flight data and logs into engineering insights.
• Excellent communication skills and independent decision-making for safety.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of flight test activities across fixed-wing and rotary-wing UAS platforms.
• Plan and lead complex UAS flight test campaigns from preparation through analysis.
• Develop Flight Test Plans, Risk Assessments, Method Statements and test cards.
• Define objectives and success criteria for aircraft, payloads, telemetry and systems.
• Coordinate live test activity including airspace, test areas and ground support.
• Lead pre-flight briefings and post-flight debriefs with pilots and engineers.
• Act as technical authority on-site for flight safety and test execution.
• Monitor aircraft health, telemetry, systems and environmental conditions during flight.
• Analyse flight data and logs to understand performance and identify issues.
• Produce clear test and evaluation reports with findings and actions.
• Collaborate with Flight Operations Manager and teams to ensure safe operations.
• Challeneg unsafe/non-compliant activity and stop operations if risks are unacceptable.

Skills

UAS flight testing

Flight test leadership

Telemetry interpretation

Safety management

Risk assessments

Test planning

Communication

Education

Aerospace Engineering

Robotics

Systems Engineering

Tools

MATLAB

Python

Flight-data analysis tools

Job description

Build it. Test it. Fly it.

At SYOS Aerospace, we're developing autonomous vehicles across air, land and sea - taking ideas from the workshop and turning them into real-world capability.

We're growing our UK aviation team and looking for a UAS Flight Test Engineer to play a key role in taking our aircraft from prototype through testing, evaluation and into operational capability.

This is a hands-on, technically demanding role for someone who enjoys being where engineering meets flight operations. You'll be planning and leading flight test campaigns, working alongside pilots and engineers, analysing flight data and making sure every test is conducted safely, effectively and to the right regulatory standard.

And yes - you'll actually get to fly some seriously interesting aircraft.

What you'll be doing

• You’ll take ownership of flight test activities across SYOS’ fixed-wing and rotary-wing UAS platforms, including:
• Planning and leading complex UAS flight test campaigns from preparation through to analysis.
• Developing Flight Test Plans, Risk Assessments, Method Statements and test cards.
• Defining clear test objectives and success criteria for aircraft, payloads, telemetry and systems.
• Coordinating live test activity, including airspace, test areas, equipment and ground support.
• Leading pre-flight briefings and post-flight debriefs with pilots, engineers and stakeholders.
• Acting as the technical authority on-site for flight safety and test execution.
• Monitoring aircraft health, telemetry, systems and environmental conditions during flight.
• Analysing flight data and logs to understand performance and identify issues.
• Producing clear test and evaluation reports, highlighting findings, limitations and required actions.
• Working closely with the Flight Operations Manager, UAS Pilots and wider engineering teams to deliver safe and effective operations.
• Challenging unsafe or non-compliant activity - and having the authority to stop operations where risks cannot be adequately controlled.

What we're looking for

You'll ideally bring:

• A degree in Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Systems Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 3+ years' experience leading complex UAS flight trials, ideally within aerospace R&D, military T&E or a similarly regulated environment.
• Proven experience flight testing fixed-wing and/or rotary-wing UAS.
• Strong experience with structured test processes, including test cards, test plans and risk assessments.
• Experience working within a regulated UAS or aviation organisation.
• Experience leading small, highly capable operational teams.
• A strong understanding of flight safety, operational risk and safety management systems.
• Experience planning and commanding VLOS and BVLOS operations.
• The ability to interpret telemetry, flight data and logs and turn them into useful engineering insight.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to make independent operational decisions when safety is on the line.

It would be great if you also have

• 100+ hours of UAS flight experience.
• Experience with Class 2-3 UAS.
• Experience working within an MAA-regulated or military aviation environment.
• Experience with SORA or equivalent aviation risk assessment methodologies.
• Experience using MATLAB, Python or specialist flight-data analysis tools.
• A current First Aid certificate.

Why SYOS?

This isn't a role where you'll spend your days watching someone else test an aircraft.

You’ll be part of the team building the aircraft, testing the systems and figuring out what happens when they meet the real world.

You’ll work across engineering and flight operations, have genuine ownership of test activity and help shape how we safely develop and deploy autonomous aviation systems.

We're growing quickly, which means there's plenty to get stuck into - and plenty of opportunity to make your mark.

If you're an experienced UAS flight test professional who wants to work on ambitious autonomous platforms and be part of a team that actually builds and flies them, we'd like to hear from you.

Security Requirement

To be eligible for this role, you must be able to meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) requirements. This includes confirming your identity, legal right to work in the UK, recent employment history and criminal record (unspent convictions only).

We are not accepting unsolicited CVs from recruitment agencies. Any CVs submitted without prior agreement, including those shared