Senior Flight Test Engineer - Mission Autonomy

Anduril; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 146,000 - 194,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Retirement

Paid time off

Job summary

A defense technology company in California is seeking a highly motivated flight test engineer. The role demands planning, coordination, and execution of test programs for flight systems. Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree and at least 7 years of relevant experience as a lead test conductor. The position involves collaborating with program management and engineers to ensure safety and effective data collection during testing. Strong communication and problem-solving skills are essential, along with the ability to work independently and in teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent engineering experience.
• 7+ years as a lead test conductor/test director.
• Strong command-line interface (CLI) skills.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute system-level T&E of hardware and software.
• Develop requirements and discuss test results.
• Collect test data and perform initial data analysis.

Skills

Problem-solving

Communication (written and verbal)

Technical understanding

Team collaboration

CLI navigation

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related technical discipline

Tools

Linux

Simulation environments

Job description

Overview

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

This position is looking for a highly motivated flight test engineer with emphasis in developmental test of flight systems. You will work heavily with the program leadership and a wide spectrum of cross-departments to help support and/or lead a team focused on solving hard problems and changing the industry forever. The role will be responsible for assisting on planning, coordination, execution and reporting on all facets of the test program.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute system-level T&E of hardware and software with emphasis placed on resource planning, conducting ground and flight test, initial issue investigation, and process improvement/development.
• Work closely with program management and other engineering departments to develop requirements, and discuss test results to include collected data and observations.
• Act as lead test engineer for small UAS or weapon systems to include development, certification, and integration tests of subsystems to the AUR configuration.
• Perform safety and risk analysis for testing events.
• Collect test data and perform initial data analysis for the system under test.
• Conduct ground and flight testing at private and government-owned test ranges
• Work in a safe manner in accordance with established operating procedures and practices.

Required Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
• 7+ years of experience as a lead test conductor/test director for developmental weapon or missile systems on manned and/or unmanned aircraft to include requirements development, test planning and execution, and test reporting
• Must possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly; apply them accurately; organize, schedule, and coordinate work phases; and, determine the appropriate approach at the task level or, with assistance, at the project level to provide solutions to a range of complex problems.
• Must have a complete understanding of engineering concepts, principles, codes, and theory; experience demonstrating a broad application of those concepts; and, expanding knowledge of principles, concepts, theory, and practices in related technical specialties.
• Previous expertise and working knowledge of the National Airspace System and UAS operating rules and regulations thereof.
• Strong command-line interface (CLI) skills for system navigation and management.
• Must have strong communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team; able to perform complex tasks in one or more engineering areas.
• Ability to travel as required for test planning and execution
• Able to work extended hours as required
• Bias for action – if you see a problem, you want to solve and fix it
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with the Department of Defense (DoD)
• Prior experience with software code/script building using programming languages such as Go, Java, C++, Python, JavaScript, etc.
• Prior experience with Linux based systems and command line.
• Hands-on experience with simulation environments and tools used for testing autonomous systems.
• Working Knowledge with Ardupilot Small UAS autopilot and mission planning software.
• Experience working with manned aircraft and familiar with aviation terminology.
• Proficient in Linux environments

Salary and Benefits

US Salary Range: 146,000 — 194,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers and are part of Anduril's total compensation package. Anduril offers benefits for full-time employees, including healthcare, retirement, paid time off and other programs.

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