Senior Flight Test Engineer — DoD Flight Trials Lead

Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI); Nellis Air Force Base Census-Designated Place (NV); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) seeks a Flight Test Engineer to lead complex flight test programs at Nellis AFB, NV.

The role emphasizes strategic planning, coordinating across government, industry partners, and contractors to ensure safety, airworthiness, and successful test results. Ideal candidates have 8+ years of DoD-related flight test experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to mentor junior engineers while managing multiple concurrent activities in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience working within, or for, US DoD or partner agencies.
• Advanced knowledge of flight test engineering principles, systems integration, and test methodologies.
• Experience planning, coordinating, and executing developmental, operational, and/or combined flight test events for fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and/or UAS/RPA platforms.
• Experience evaluating aircraft systems, mission systems, avionics, external stores, sensors, communications systems, weapons integration, and/or flight sciences.
• Experience supporting all phases of the flight test lifecycle, including requirements development, design reviews, test planning, test card development, mission execution, data analysis, and post-flight reporting.
• Experience directing or supporting Mission Control Room (MCR) operations, monitoring real-time test execution, system performance, and mission objectives.
• Proven ability to integrate multidisciplinary engineering teams, government stakeholders, and industry partners to execute technically complex flight test activities.
• Experience coordinating and executing flight test events on Department of Defense open-air test ranges while ensuring compliance with applicable range, safety, security, and airworthiness requirements.
• Ability to rapidly assess technical challenges, identify risks, develop mitigation strategies, and recommend engineering solutions before issues impact mission execution.
• Recognized technical expertise with the ability to independently apply advanced engineering principles, sound judgment, and lessons learned to new and evolving mission requirements.
• Experience supporting operational exercises, experimentation events, and capability demonstrations involving Combatant Commands, MAJCOMs, and joint mission partners.
• Working knowledge of Department of Defense test, evaluation, and exercise planning policies, processes, and procedures.
• Experience working with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and operating within classified test and operational environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical planning meetings, engineering working groups, design reviews, technical interchange meetings, and executive-level briefings.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret technical data, evaluate system performance, and communicate engineering findings to government leadership and operational users.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with experience preparing technical documentation, engineering assessments, flight test reports, and executive briefings.
• Proven ability to work independently in dynamic, fast-paced operational environments while managing multiple concurrent technical priorities.
• Strong customer engagement and technical collaboration skills with experience serving as the engineering interface between government organizations, industry partners, and contractor teams.
• Experience developing integrated technical execution plans, engineering schedules, test milestones, and status reporting to support flight test activities.
• Ability to mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance across multiple engineering disciplines and flight test efforts.
• Valid driver’s license with an insurable driving record.
• Ability to travel and maintain a flexible work schedule in support of flight test operations, exercises, and mission execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical planning, integration, and execution of complex flight test events and operational demonstrations supporting customer objectives.
• Develop technical approaches, test strategies, and engineering solutions to evaluate emerging capabilities, mission systems, and operational concepts.
• Identify technical requirements, assess risks, and coordinate engineering resources to ensure successful execution of flight test objectives.
• Serve as the technical lead for assigned flight test efforts, ensuring engineering products, test plans, and deliverables meet customer requirements and technical standards.
• Provide technical oversight throughout test planning, execution, analysis, and reporting while ensuring compliance with applicable safety, airworthiness, and range requirements.
• Coordinate technical activities across government, industry subcontractor, and mission partner organizations to integrate systems and resolve engineering challenges.
• Plan and safely execute flight test and operational events supporting air-to-air, air-to-surface, surface-to-air, and surface-to-surface mission sets.
• Collaborate with government users, industry partners, and operational stakeholders to define test objectives, refine technical requirements, and develop executable Concepts of Operations (CONOPS).
• Support major exercise and test planning conferences by developing technical support plans, identifying flight test requirements, and synchronizing engineering activities.
• Analyze flight test data and operational results to identify system performance, capability gaps, deficiencies, and recommendations for future testing and capability development.
• Prepare technical reports, engineering assessments, and executive briefings summarizing test results, operational impacts, risks, and recommended courses of action.
• Engage with industry partners to evaluate emerging technologies, conduct technical exchanges, and integrate vendor capabilities into flight test activities.
• Coordinate vendor technical support to ensure system readiness, configuration control, security compliance, and mission execution requirements are met.
• Maintain effective technical relationships with government customers, industry partners, and operational users to accelerate capability evaluation and transition.
• Develop and maintain technically focused execution plans, integrated test schedules, and engineering milestones to support successful flight test execution.
• Mentor junior engineers and technical team members by providing guidance on flight test planning, systems integration, engineering analysis, and test execution best practices.
• Apply advanced engineering principles and sound technical judgment to resolve complex flight test, integration, and system performance challenges with minimal oversight.
• Engage with industry partners to evaluate emerging technologies, conduct technical exchanges, and integrate vendor capabilities into flight test activities.

Skills

Flight test engineering

DoD experience

System integration

Test planning & execution

MCR operations

Airworthiness & safety compliance

Technical leadership

Mentoring junior engineers

Communication skills

Education

Master’s degree

Bachelor’s degree

Associate’s degree

Job description

Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) seeks a Flight Test Engineer to lead complex flight test programs at Nellis AFB, NV.

The role emphasizes strategic planning, coordinating across government, industry partners, and contractors to ensure safety, airworthiness, and successful test results. Ideal candidates have 8+ years of DoD-related flight test experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to mentor junior engineers while managing multiple concurrent activities in a fast-paced