Entry-Level UAS Flight Test Engineer

Edge Autonomy; California (MO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Matching 401(k)

Paid PTO

Paid holidays

Medical, vision, and dental insurance

Group Short‑Term & Long‑Term Disabled

HSA and FSA Options

Critical Care Plan

Accident Care Plan

Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESSP)

Job summary

Redwire Defense Tech in San Luis Obispo, CA is seeking an Entry‑Level Flight Test Engineer to support planning, execution, and analysis of UAV tests. You will assist with test plans, instrumentation, data collection, and documentation for both component and system tests.

The role exposes you to a steady flight test cadence, cross‑disciplinary collaboration, and opportunities to work outdoors at test ranges.

Qualifications

• B.S. in flight/UAV related engineering field (Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or similar).
• Coursework or project experience in aerospace systems, UAVs, robotics, or flight‑related engineering disciplines.
• Familiarity with data acquisition systems, telemetry concepts, or controls (academic or hobby experience acceptable).
• Ability to follow structured test procedures and maintain clear documentation.
• Basic electrical and mechanical troubleshooting aptitude.
• Ability to work cooperatively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Microsoft Office (especially Word, Excel).

Responsibilities

• Assist in reviewing design and test requirements to support development of test plans and procedures.
• Support coordination efforts with design, systems, and software engineers during test preparation activities.
• Gain familiarity with aviation regulations, safety standards, and compliance considerations relevant to UAS testing.
• Support pre‑flight inspections, system checks, and readiness activities.
• Participate in ground and flight test operations alongside experienced flight test engineers and operators.
• Assist with real‑time monitoring of flight data, documenting observations and deviations.
• Help troubleshoot issues that arise during testing and contribute to corrective actions under guidance.
• Collect, organize, and perform basic analysis on flight test data.
• Assist in preparing test reports, documenting results, findings, and preliminary recommendations.
• Present summarized findings to engineering teams as part of post‑test reviews.
• Follow established safety protocols during all phases of testing.
• Contribute to risk assessments and mitigation plans for outdoor and remote test activities.
• Participate in post‑test debriefs to help identify lessons learned and improvements.
• Support refinement of test methodologies, procedures, and tools.
• Stay informed of industry trends and evolving UAS technologies.
• Collaborate effectively across teams and contribute positively to organizational learning and test discipline maturity.

Skills

B.S. in UAV Eng

UAV coursework

Data acquisition experience

Follow structured test procedures

Electrical/mechanical troubleshooting

Team collaboration

MS Office

Education

B.S. in UAV Engineering

Tools

MATLAB

Python

Telemetry concepts

Data acquisition systems

Job description

Redwire Defense Tech in San Luis Obispo, CA is seeking an Entry‑Level Flight Test Engineer to support planning, execution, and analysis of UAV tests. You will assist with test plans, instrumentation, data collection, and documentation for both component and system tests.

The role exposes you to a steady flight test cadence, cross‑disciplinary collaboration, and opportunities to work outdoors at test ranges.