Flight Test Engineer

LHH; Albuquerque, Santa Fe (NM, NM); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match

On-site amenities

Job summary

LHH is partnering with an aerospace organization in Albuquerque to hire a Flight Test Engineer. The role spans ground and flight test activities, mission execution, and system validation, offering hands-on involvement and potential leadership opportunities as you gain experience.

Open to early-career through senior engineers, with a base salary range highlighted and a strong focus on operating in safety‑critical test environments with multidisciplinary collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace/ mechanical/ electrical engineering.
• Experience in aerospace testing or related discipline.
• Strong technical communication skills and ability to work across multidisciplinary teams.
• Hands-on, fast-paced test environments experience.

Responsibilities

• Support execution of ground and flight test activities with senior engineers.
• Prepare and maintain test materials, checklists, configuration records, and data logs.
• Assist with vehicle setup, instrumentation checks, and pre-test readiness activities.
• Monitor system performance and telemetry during test events; document observations.
• Organize and perform initial processing of test data after operations.
• Track discrepancies, lessons learned, and follow-up actions.
• Participate in test briefings and debriefs to build operational and technical understanding.
• Own test objectives, scope, and execution strategy for assigned test efforts.
• Lead test events and provide real-time technical judgment during operations.
• Coordinate across engineering, mission operations, and safety teams.
• Evaluate system behavior and identify performance gaps or risks.
• Lead post-test analysis, root-cause investigations, and corrective actions.
• Communicate test outcomes to leadership and mentors juniors.

Skills

Aerospace testing

Systems engineering

Mission operations

Technical communication

Hands-on testing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

Job description

LHH is partnering with an innovative aerospace organization developing advanced high-altitude flight systems to hire a Flight Test Engineer. This opportunity is open to engineers at early-career through senior levels, offering hands‑on involvement in ground and flight test operations, mission execution, and system validation.

The Opportunity

This role supports the testing and operational readiness of complex airborne systems operating in a safety‑critical, fast‑moving environment. Responsibilities scale based on experience, allowing engineers to grow into leadership or contribute immediately as technical owners of test efforts.

What You’ll Do

• Support execution of ground and flight test activities alongside senior test engineers
• Prepare and maintain test materials including checklists, configuration records, and data logs
• Assist with vehicle setup, instrumentation checks, and pre‑test readiness activities
• Monitor system performance and telemetry during test events and document observations
• Organize and perform initial processing of test data following operations
• Track discrepancies, lessons learned, and follow‑up actions
• Participate in test briefings and debriefs to build operational and technical understanding

Mid-Level / Senior-Level Focus

• Own test objectives, scope, and execution strategy for assigned test efforts
• Lead test events and provide real‑time technical judgment during operations
• Coordinate across engineering, mission operations, and safety teams
• Evaluate integrated system behavior and identify performance gaps or operational risks
• Lead post‑test analysis, root‑cause investigations, and corrective action planning
• Communicate test outcomes and recommendations to technical leadership
• Mentor junior engineers and establish best practices for test execution
• Drive improvements to test efficiency, tooling, and data workflows

What We’re Looking For

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Experience in aerospace testing, systems engineering, mission operations, or a related technical discipline
• Strong technical communication skills and comfort working across multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to operate effectively in hands‑on, fast‑paced test environments

Preferred

• Experience with experimental aircraft, UAVs, or high‑altitude platforms
• Exposure to systems verification, operational readiness, or mission execution
• Familiarity with data analysis, scripting, or automation tools
• Background working in regulated or safety‑critical aerospace environments
• Base salary range: $130,000–$160,000, based on experience and level
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• On‑site amenities and wellness‑focused work environment
• Collaborative, high‑performance culture working on cutting‑edge aerospace systems

Why This Role

This position offers the opportunity to directly support the testing and flight of advanced aerospace platforms while growing with a mission‑driven engineering team. Scope and responsibility scale with experience, making this a strong fit for both developing and experienced flight test engineers.