Staff Reliability Engineer

Skyways; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

401k

Job summary

Skyways, based in Austin, designs and operates autonomous cargo aircraft and is hiring a Staff Reliability Engineer to lead the reliability program for V2 and V3 fleets. You will set reliability strategy and perform hands-on root-cause investigations across avionics, software, and propulsion while coordinating with Flight Test, Systems Engineering, and Manufacturing.

You will analyze flight data and logs to identify failure modes, run FMEA and fault-tree analyses, and drive corrective actions to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering, or a related engineering field.
• 10+ years of engineering experience, including 5+ years of hands on reliability work on UAV or aviation programs.
• Evidence of improving reliability on UAV/aviation programs (lower failure rates, higher MTBF, better fleet availability).
• Experience building or driving a reliability program with FRACAS.
• Broad, hands-on troubleshooting across software, electrical, mechanical, and controls; ability to find root cause and implement fixes.
• Knowledge of reliability methods (FMEA, fault tree analysis, 8D, Weibull analysis, reliability growth).
• Proficiency with Python, SQL, or similar tools for flight data analysis.
• Clear technical writing and communication with engineers and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Build and own the reliability program end to end: failure reporting, root-cause analysis, corrective action, and fleet metrics.
• Lead hands-on investigations into aircraft failures across avionics, software, power and propulsion, structures, and flight controls.
• Troubleshoot problems and develop fixes, partnering with design engineers for landings in their systems.
• Analyze flight logs, telemetry, maintenance data to identify recurring failure modes and rank by fleet impact.
• Run FMEA and fault tree analysis on V3-critical systems and translate findings into design changes.
• Set inspection intervals and life limits, updating them with fleet hours.
• Drive corrective actions through design, manufacturing, and flight operations to permanent closure.
• Report fleet reliability trends to engineering and leadership.

Skills

Reliability engineering

Root cause analysis

FRACAS

FMEA

8D problem solving

Python

SQL

Technical writing

Education

Bachelors or Masters in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical/Systems Engineering

Tools

ArduPilot

PX4

MAVLink

Job description

Skyways designs, builds, and operates fully autonomous long-range cargo aircraft. Founded in 2017, the company has spent the last eight years developing and deploying autonomous logistics systems for real-world operations.

Our V2 aircraft carries 30 lbs up to 500 miles, and V3 has a maximum range of well over 1,000 miles, a maximum useful load of 100 lbs, and a maximum endurance of nearly 20 hours. Both use a hybrid-electric architecture that takes off like a helicopter and cruises like a plane, enabling long-range autonomous delivery without traditional runway infrastructure.

Today, Skyways aircraft operate across three continents in controlled national airspace under FAA oversight and in support of U.S. military operations. We are transitioning from prototype development to full-rate production and scaling toward large autonomous cargo fleets.

Backed by Y Combinator and a $37M AFWERX STRATFI award from the U.S. Air Force, Skyways is creating a new form of transportation to advance our civilization from Austin, Texas.

The Opportunity

Skyways is hiring a Staff Reliability Engineer to build and drive the reliability program across our V2 fleet flying commercial revenue missions and our V3 aircraft in active flight test. This role is based onsite in Austin, Texas.

You will set the reliability strategy for the company and lead the work hands on: in the hangar, in the flight logs, and on the bench, finding root cause and building the fix. The work spans software, electrical, mechanical, and controls, and you will drive corrective actions to closure with Flight Test, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, and Flight Operations.

What You’ll Do:

• Build and own the Skyways reliability program end to end: failure reporting, root cause analysis, corrective action, and fleet reliability metrics

• Lead hands on investigations into aircraft failures across avionics, flight software, power and propulsion, structures, and flight controls

• Troubleshoot problems yourself and develop the fix, partnering with design engineers where the change lands in their system

• Analyze flight logs, telemetry, maintenance, and manufacturing data to find recurring failure modes and rank them by impact on the fleet

• Run FMEA and fault tree analysis on V3 critical systems and turn the findings into design changes

• Set inspection intervals and life limits, and revise them as fleet hours accumulate

• Drive corrective actions through design, manufacturing, and flight operations to permanent closure

• Report fleet reliability trends to engineering and company leadership

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering, or a related engineering field

• 10+ years of engineering experience, including 5+ years of hands on reliability work on UAV or aviation programs

• Clear, measurable evidence of improving reliability on a UAV or aviation program, such as lower failure rates, higher MTBF, or better fleet availability

• Experience building or driving a reliability program, including failure reporting and corrective action systems (FRACAS)

• Broad, hands on troubleshooting across software, electrical, mechanical, and controls, with a track record of finding root cause and implementing the fix yourself

• Working knowledge of reliability methods such as FMEA, fault tree analysis, 8D, Weibull analysis, and reliability growth tracking

• Proficiency with Python, SQL, or similar tools for flight data analysis

• Clear technical writing and communication with engineers and leadership

Bonus Points:

• 15+ years of engineering experience with reliability at the core of your career

• Experience with ArduPilot, PX4, MAVLink, DroneCAN, or comparable flight control ecosystems

• Experience with hybrid electric propulsion, battery, or engine reliability

• Experience setting maintenance intervals and life limits for a flying fleet

• Experience working in startup or rapid hardware development environments

In addition to base salary, offers include stock options, so you own part of what you build. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, paid holidays, a 401k, and life insurance.

Relocation assistance is available for candidates moving to Austin.

Due to U.S. government contract requirements, this role is limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or candidates from specific countries authorized under applicable export control regulations.

Skyways is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other factor protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.