Drone Test Engineer I — Flight & Hardware Validation

Inspired Flight; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 76,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401k 6% company match

Quarterly bonus

Job summary

Inspired Flight, based in San Luis Obispo, CA, seeks a Test Engineer to validate drone architectures through bench and flight testing. You will work with design and systems engineers to define tests, develop procedures, and document results. This is an in-office role at Inspired Flight's HQ.

The position emphasizes hands-on test setup, data analysis, and continuous improvement of drone and ground-control systems, with opportunities for growth in a rapidly expanding UAV company.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace or equivalent.
• 0-2 years for Level 1; 2-5 years for Level 2.
• Experience in UAS, aviation, aerospace, robotics, autonomy or defense preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define requirements and test plans with design, systems, and program managers.
• Develop, document, and execute test plans for hardware/software projects.
• Collect, record, and analyze test data for anomalies and trends.
• Generate test reports with findings and recommendations.
• Set up and operate drones, payloads, and test equipment.
• Troubleshoot and identify root causes of test failures.

Skills

UAS/drone systems

Flight controller software

Mission Planner / QGroundControl

FAA Part 107 license

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Mission Planner

QGroundControl

Job description

Inspired Flight, based in San Luis Obispo, CA, seeks a Test Engineer to validate drone architectures through bench and flight testing. You will work with design and systems engineers to define tests, develop procedures, and document results. This is an in-office role at Inspired Flight's HQ.

The position emphasizes hands-on test setup, data analysis, and continuous improvement of drone and ground-control systems, with opportunities for growth in a rapidly expanding UAV company.