Entry-Level UAV Flight Test Engineer

edgeautonomy-careers; San Luis Obispo (CA); 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 seeks an Entry-Level Flight Test Engineer to support the planning, execution, and analysis of UAV test programs. You will assist with flight test prep, instrumentation, data collection, troubleshooting, and documentation across engineering disciplines.

This role offers exposure to a steady flight test cadence, outdoor activities at test ranges, and opportunities to grow technical and operational skills within a rapidly advancing UAS program.

Qualifications

• B.S. in flight/UAV related engineering such as Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or similar.
• Coursework or projects 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 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.
• This role may require up to 25% travel.
• Expect significant time spent outdoors in various weather conditions to support routine flight test operations.

Skills

Test planning

Data analysis

Team collaboration

Documentation

Troubleshooting

Office tools

Education

B.S. in flight/UAV engineering

Tools

Data acquisition systems

Telemetry concepts

MATLAB

Python

Job description

Redwire Defense Tech in San Luis Obispo, CA seeks an Entry-Level Flight Test Engineer to support the planning, execution, and analysis of UAV test programs. You will assist with flight test prep, instrumentation, data collection, troubleshooting, and documentation across engineering disciplines.

This role offers exposure to a steady flight test cadence, outdoor activities at test ranges, and opportunities to grow technical and operational skills within a rapidly advancing UAS program.