R&D Test Flight Engineer

DeltaQuad; Duivendrecht; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 vacation days

38‑hour work week

Transport reimbursement

PME Pension Fund

Lunch & team events

Open, informal culture

Job summary

DeltaQuad is seeking an R&D Test Flight Engineer to fly our newest UAVs and return them safely when tests push the aircraft to the limit. You will operate aircraft still in development, testing new software, hardware, and features that need to prove themselves in the air.

You’ll recover aircraft when something goes wrong and help the team understand why. On days without flights you’ll support ground testing of components, work with the R&D Test Engineer and other engineers, and contribute to a

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with FPV/multirotor aircraft and/or fixed-wing aircraft.
• Experience building, tuning, and repairing drones or RC aircraft.
• Proficiency in English (spoken and written).
• Nice to have: PX4/ArduPilot, VTOL, or RD&E test-flying background and a drone pilot certificate.

Responsibilities

• Fly aircraft in development, testing new software versions and hardware.
• Recover aircraft showing unexpected behaviour and understand root causes.
• Work closely with the R&D team and engineers behind each new development.
• Assist with ground tests and lab work in the test container.

Skills

Manual flight skills

Aircraft recovery

Drone build/repair

Electronics & software

English proficiency

Education

Technical education preferred

Tools

PX4

ArduPilot

R&D testing

Job description

On a mission

As an R&D Test Flight Engineer, you fly our newest aircraft before anyone else does, and you bring them back safely when they do something unexpected.

DeltaQuad develops advanced VTOL UAV systems for defense, public safety, and commercial operators worldwide. Demand is growing fast, and so is the number of parallel developments we run. That is why we are building an organization that can scale with it.

The role

In R&D, we fly aircraft that are still in development: new software versions, new hardware, and new features that need to prove themselves in the air. These aircraft do not always behave as expected. That is exactly why this role exists.

You are the pilot our R&D team relies on. When a test flight is planned, you drop everything and go. You fly new software releases, test edge cases, and run flights in varied conditions, such as lighting tests around sunset. When an aircraft starts acting strangely, you have the skills and nerve to save it, and you understand enough of its logic to help the team figure out why.

On days without flights, you get your hands dirty with other test work, such as testing a new motor controller in our test container. You work closely with our R&D Test Engineer and the engineers behind every new development. Our demo pilots take care of customers, so you can focus on the aircraft itself.

What you bring

You are a builder and a flyer at heart. Perhaps you come from the FPV racing scene, build and fly your own aircraft, or have flown UAVs professionally. You understand how an aircraft works, can dial in software and settings quickly, and dare to push the limits safely. A technical education is a plus, but your skills in the air and at the workbench count most. You also bring:

• Excellent manual flying skills with multirotors, FPV, or fixed-wing aircraft
• The ability to recover an aircraft that shows unexpected behavior
• Hands‑on experience building, tuning, and repairing drones or RC aircraft
• Affinity with electronics, flight controllers, and software configuration
• Professional proficiency in English

Nice to have

Experience with PX4 or ArduPilot, VTOL aircraft, or test flying in an R&D environment. An EASA drone pilot certificate is a plus.

What success looks like

New software and hardware get into the air quickly and safely. Engineers get clear feedback from every flight, find problems in testing instead of with customers, and our test program keeps pace with our growing number of developments.

What we offer

• Competitive salary
• A key role in scaling our engineering organization, with real ownership of your portfolio
• Work on advanced UAV technology with real-world applications
• 27 vacation days based on full-time employment
• A 38-hour workweek with flexible working hours
• € 0.25/km travel reimbursement or full reimbursement of second‑class public transportation
• An excellent pension scheme through PME Pension Fund
• A varied, well‑kept lunch at DeltaQuad, monthly team drinks, an open, informal culture where colleagues support each other to reach high standards and production, and where your expertise counts

Please note: As part of our recruitment process, we may request a Certificate of Conduct (VOG) and conduct a background screening in accordance with our screening policy.