Flight Test Engineer

Socket.dev; Dixon (CA); On-site; USD 101,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

FSA with employer matching

401(k)

Paid holidays

PTO (paid time off)

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Pre-tax commuter benefits

Job summary

Pyka is seeking a flight test engineer to support development and testing of advanced autonomous aircraft. You will split time between Dixon and Victoria Island, CA, with occasional 1–2 week trips for demonstrations and customer support.

This multidisciplinary role requires strong communication, aircraft ground and flight operations standardization, and technical knowledge across manned and UAV flight operations. An engineering degree is not required, but technical literacy is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience flying fixed-wing UAVs or large multirotors.
• Experience with ground control and mission planning software.
• Experience with mechanical and electrical systems, assembly and troubleshooting.
• Basic high voltage safety knowledge; comfortable with 120 VDC, 20–30 kW systems.
• Familiarity with Linux, command line, and Git.
• Proficient in Portuguese or Spanish.
• Experience visualizing and analyzing data logs.
• Knowledge of aircraft systems and manuals.
• Independent and motivated with a strong work ethic; able to self-direct and manage time.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Guarantee continuous operations at local test sites by identifying, troubleshooting and fixing issues with remote help from Pyka’s engineering teams.
• Recommend new features, improvements, design changes, etc. to the design team.
• Conduct diverse fleet maintenance activities, involving the aircraft, ground infrastructure, laptops, and batteries.
• Assemble, prepare and test airframe airworthiness post production and before shipment to customer sites.
• Serve as Pilot In Command or Ground Control Operator of experimental / developmental unmanned aircraft.
• Lead and/or participate in ground and flight test events as Test Conductor or Test Crew member.
• Manage complex logistics in support of flight operations.

Skills

UAV flight experience

Ground control software

Systems troubleshooting

High voltage safety

Linux & Git

Portuguese/Spanish

Data log analysis

Aircraft systems

Self-motivation

Attention to detail

Communication

Part 61 pilot

Job description

About Pyka

Pyka’s goal is to provide society with a new form of safe, clean, and cost-effective transportation enabled by autonomous electric aviation.

To get there, we’re taking a different approach than most. We're applying our technologies to every industry where autonomous electric aircraft can be useful, starting with the highest value and most dangerous jobs. In doing so, we're building game-changing products manufactured at scale, while perfecting the safety, reliability, and capabilities of our autonomy engine and electric propulsion systems.

We design, develop and manufacture an ecosystem of technologies including proprietary flight control software, avionics, high power density motors, motor controllers, batteries, and custom carbon-fiber composite airframes.

Today, we supply autonomous electric aircraft for cargo transport and crop protection to real-world customers across four separate continents and have secured industry-first regulatory approvals from the FAA. Our cargo aircraft enables remote connectivity, enhances express delivery networks, and ensures fast and reliable shipping of critical supplies to areas in need. Our crop protection aircraft offers agricultural services providers and farmers an autonomous tool to make aerial application safer, more precise, and less harmful to surrounding environments. Both vehicles are highly economical to operate, easy to deploy, and significantly reduce CO2 emissions in their respective industries.

What you work on at Pyka makes people’s lives better now and brings the future of electric aviation one step closer each day.

Pyka is looking for a flight test engineer to support the development and testing of its advanced autonomous aircraft. You will spend most of your time in Dixon or Victoria Island, CA, but may travel for 1-2 weeks at a time for both spray and cargo demonstrations and to provide support to customer locations.

This is a multidisciplinary role that interacts with internal and external organizations, so written and verbal communication skills are critical. You will be instrumental in ensuring the standardization of aircraft ground and flight operations and procedures, instructional techniques, as well as informing the evolution of the product itself.

An engineering degree is not required, although the candidate must be technically knowledgeable, preferably with experience with flight operations with either manned aircraft or UAVs.

Responsibilities

• Guarantee continuous operations at local test sites sites by identifying, troubleshooting and fixing any arising issues, with the remote help of Pyka’s engineering teams
• Recommend new features, improvements, design changes, etc. to the design team
• Conduct diverse fleet maintenance activities, involving the aircraft itself, ground infrastructure, laptops, and batteries
• Assemble, prepare and fully test airframe airworthiness post production and before shipment to customer sites
• Serve as Pilot In Command or Ground Control Operator of experimental / developmental unmanned aircraft
• Lead and/or participate in ground and flight test events as Test Conductor or Test Crew member
• Manage complex logistics in support of flight operations

Required Qualifications

• Experience flying fixed wing UAVs / model aircraft or large multirotors
• Experience with ground control and mission planning software
• Experience with mechanical and electrical systems, assembly, and troubleshooting
• Basic high voltage safety knowledge and comfortable working on 120 VDC, 20 ~ 30 kW systems
• Familiarity with linux, command line usage, git
• Proficient in Portuguese or Spanish
• Experience visualizing and analyzing data logs
• Knowledge of aircraft systems and manuals
• Independent and motivated, with an extremely strong work ethic; able to self-direct and manage time
• Extreme attention to detail and thoroughness
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Part 61 pilot certificate is a plus
• Located in Solano or Contra Costa County
• We understand that candidates bring different strengths and experiences, and you don’t need to meet every qualification to be considered. If this role excites you, we’d love to learn more about you. You may be a great fit even if your background doesn’t align perfectly with the list.

Compensation & Benefits

• $101,000– $174,000 expected total cash compensation per year + equity. Compensation will vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Salary ranges are subject to change.
• Employer-sponsored health, dental and vision insurance
• FSA with employer matching
• 401(k)
• Paid holidays, generous PTO, and additional unpaid time off
• Voluntary short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance
• Pre-tax commuter benefits

Export Control Requirements

This position requires access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls. Employment in this position is conditioned on the continued availability of government authorization to authorize release of such items, to the extent required, including without limitation an export license, or other documentation required to establish authorization to receive access to such items.

Company may delay commencement of employment, rescind an offer of employment, terminate employment, and/or may modify job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and/or access to Company facilities and information systems, as Company deems appropriate, in order to ensure compliance with applicable government access control restrictions.

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