Flight Test Director, UAS Autonomy & Systems

Precision Labs; Washington, Northern (District of Columbia, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI, a defense-tech company, seeks a Senior Staff Flight Test Engineer / Test Director to own end-to-end test campaigns for Hivemind Mission Autonomy on UAS. You will direct test readiness, risk decisions, and data-driven progress across simulation, labs, and flight tests.

You will lead cross-functional teams, define test strategies, enforce safety, and report results to leadership and customers, with travel to test sites as needed.

Qualifications

• B.S. degree in a STEM discipline (Aerospace, Software, Computer Eng., or related field).
• 7+ years in system integration and test including SIL, HIL, simulation, and flight test environments.
• Proven ability to lead test execution and make readiness/risk decisions.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams across systems engineering, software, hardware, safety, and program management.
• Strong written and verbal communication, capable of briefing leadership and customers.
• Organized, methodical, and able to manage multiple fast-paced test campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Act as Test Director for system-level integration and flight test campaigns on UAS.
• Own test readiness criteria for lab, simulation, ground, and flight phases.
• Plan, direct, and execute fly–fix–fly campaigns with disciplined config control.
• Define test strategy, verification and validation, phasing, and objective prioritization.
• Lead cross-functional test execution with engineering, safety, and PM teams.
• Define infrastructure needs including SIL, HIL, simulation, flight test assets, and automated pipelines.
• Ensure safety-of-flight and document test results, anomalies, and lessons learned.
• Travel to test sites and customer events as required.

Skills

Test leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Project management

Education

B.S. in STEM field

Tools

SIL

HIL

Simulation environments

Job description

Shield AI, a defense-tech company, seeks a Senior Staff Flight Test Engineer / Test Director to own end-to-end test campaigns for Hivemind Mission Autonomy on UAS. You will direct test readiness, risk decisions, and data-driven progress across simulation, labs, and flight tests.

You will lead cross-functional teams, define test strategies, enforce safety, and report results to leadership and customers, with travel to test sites as needed.