Flight Operation Engineer

Harmattan AI; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Harmattan AI in Austin is seeking a Flight Operations Engineer to bridge our R&D lab and the field. You will lead real-world flight campaigns, demonstrations, and training programs to onboard global defense partners on autonomous systems.

The role combines elite piloting skills with hands-on hardware and software integration, requiring autonomy, strong documentation, and leadership to drive mission-ready deployments.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years of experience in flight operations, flight testing or validation on aerospace or robotic systems.
• End-to-end assembly, integration, and maintenance of high-performance FPV, multicopters and/or fixed-wing systems.
• Broad engineering knowledge of flight dynamics, control systems, avionics, and RF systems.
• Bonus: Pilot certification, experience with military or industrial drone platforms.
• Detail-oriented with excellent documentation and organizational skills.
• Strong communication and leadership skills; ability to guide teams to success.
• Ability to simplify complex technical concepts for training and public presentations.
• Willingness for a dynamic schedule with frequent international travel.

Responsibilities

• Test Campaigns: Plan and execute real-world test campaigns to validate performance, reliability, and edge-case behaviors of new hardware and software releases.
• Lead high-stakes live flight demonstrations for defense stakeholders across diverse environments.
• Deliver comprehensive training programs so clients can safely operate Harmattan AI systems.
• Cross-Team Collaboration: Work with hardware, software, and systems teams to support debugging and iteration based on test outcomes.
• Execute deployment and logistics of autonomous systems, managing end-to-end C2 infrastructure and RF data links for mission readiness.

Skills

FPV systems

Multicopters

Fixed-wing aircraft

Flight dynamics

Control systems

Avionics

RF links

Pilot certification

Job description

About Us

Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following the close of a $200M Series B, valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding our teams and capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to allied forces.

Our work is guided by clear values: building technologies with real-world impact, pursuing excellence in everything we do, setting ambitious goals, and taking on the hardest technical challenges. We operate in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership, and execution are expected.

About the Role

As a Flight Operations Engineer, you will be the bridge between our R&D lab and the operational field. You are responsible for the "last mile" of our technology: demonstrating capabilities to global defense partners, training end-users on complex autonomous systems, and conducting final field validation. This role requires a unique combination of elite piloting skills, hands-on hardware engineering and high degree of technical autonomy.

Responsibilities

• Test Campaigns: Plan and execute real-world test campaigns to validate performance, reliability, and edge-case behaviors of new hardware and software releases.

• Lead high-stakes live flight demonstrations for defense stakeholders, showcasing mission-specific capabilities in diverse environments.

• Deliver comprehensive training programs to ensure clients can safely and effectively operate Harmattan AI systems covering flight theory, autonomous mission planning, and emergency procedures.

• Cross-Team Collaboration: Work closely with hardware, software, and systems teams to support debugging and iteration based on test outcomes.

• Execute the deployment and the tactical logistics of autonomous systems, managing the end-to-end integration of command-and-control (C2) infrastructure and RF data links in complex, real-world environments to ensure 100% mission readiness

Candidate Requirements

• 2–5 years of experience in flight operations, flight testing or validation on aerospace or robotic systems, or embedded robotics.

• Proven track record in the end-to-end assembly, integration, and maintenance of high-performance FPV, multicopters and/or Fixed-Wing systems.

• Wide engineering culture around flight dynamics, control systems, avionics, and/or RF systems.

• Bonus: Pilot certification, experience with military or industrial drone platforms.

• Detail-oriented with excellent documentation and organizational skills.

• Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and guide teams toward success.

• Proven ability to simplify complex technical concepts for training and public presentations.

• Comfortable with a dynamic schedule that requires frequent international presence.

We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.