Test Engineer

Elroy Air, Inc.; California; Hybrid; USD 118,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity ownership

Medical benefits

401(k) with company contribution + R​O

Lunch onsite

Job summary

Elroy Air is seeking a Test Engineer to join our team building Chaparral, the autonomous VTOL cargo aircraft. You will plan, execute, and validate tests on components, subsystems, and full aircraft to ensure performance, reliability, and safety.

You will work with Design, Systems, and Flight Test engineers, designing fixtures, acquiring data with NI or Dewesoft hardware, and helping meet FAA/UAS certification paths. A bachelor’s in engineering and hands-on testing experience are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 2+ years of professional engineering test experience in hardware verification, environmental qualification, or physical lab testing.
• Hands-on experience with electric motors, propulsion systems, battery systems, EV systems.
• Hands-on experience setting up and operating data acquisition hardware and instrumentation (e.g., NI, Dewesoft).
• Strong troubleshooting using schematics, 3D CAD models, or wiring diagrams.
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW.
• Excellent communication and test report writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Test Planning & Execution: Develop test plans, procedures and safety analyses for structural, mechanical, environmental and electrical components.
• Rig & Fixture Design: Design, build and commission test fixtures and ground-support equipment using CAD and rapid prototyping.
• Instrumentation & Data Acquisition: Install sensors and configure DAQ systems to capture critical data.
• Data Analysis & Diagnostics: Process data to evaluate performance and identify root causes of failures.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with Design, Systems and Flight Test teams to translate requirements into test criteria.
• Safety & Regulatory Compliance: Maintain a safe testing environment and support FAA/UAS certification pathways.

Skills

Test planning

Fixture design

DAQ systems

Data analysis

Cross-functional teamwork

FAA compliance

Python

MATLAB

LabVIEW

Schematic interpretation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

National Instruments

Dewesoft

Job description

At Elroy Air, we build autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) cargo drones to change the way the world moves goods. Transporting cargo by air is faster and more direct than by land or sea, but it has been prohibitively expensive for medium-size loads. We've set out to expand middle-mile logistics possibilities across multiple sectors, with our sights on a $420Bn global total addressable market for cargo logistics across defense, commercial and rapid response.
We are a team of builders, engineers, and operators who believe that the defense, commercial, and rapid response communities need faster, better logistics solutions. We are seeing increasing demand as customers and prospects respond enthusiastically to the systems we’ve built. As we mature and deploy our offerings, we are looking for people like you: motivated collaborators, enthusiastic about our mission and ready to roll up their sleeves and make a big impact to improve how logistics works around the world. You will play an important role in establishing the Elroy Air Chaparral as the industry standard in this massive market.

We believe diverse perspectives at all levels of the organization are critical to innovation and employee development. This includes but is not limited to gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender expression, religion, age, ability, parenthood status, veteran status, educational background, citizenship status, or any combination of these characteristics.

The Test Engineer at Elroy Air will play a crucial role in the development, validation, and certification of Chaparral, our autonomous VTOL cargo aircraft. In this role, you will bridge the gap between design and reality by planning, setting up, and executing rigorous tests on components, sub-systems, and integrated aircraft systems. Whether working on mechanical fixtures, electrical test benches, or environmental chambers, you will ensure our hardware meets performance, reliability, and safety standards. This role requires an adaptable engineer from an electrical, mechanical, or aerospace background who thrives in a hands-on environment and is eager to advance the future of middle-mile logistics.

Responsibilities

• Test Planning & Execution: Develop detailed test plans, procedures, and safety hazard analyses for structural, mechanical, environmental, and electrical components
• Rig & Fixture Design: Design, build, and commission custom test fixtures, automated test equipment, and ground-support equipment using CAD and rapid-prototyping methods
• Instrumentation & Data Acquisition: Select, install, and calibrate sensors such as strain gauges, thermocouples, accelerometers, and pressure transducers. Configure data acquisition (DAQ) systems to capture critical test data
• Data Analysis & Diagnostic Troubleshooting: Process raw test data to evaluate system performance against design requirements. Investigate, diagnose, and document root-cause failures when components do not perform as expected
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Design, Systems, and Flight Test engineering teams to translate high-level aircraft requirements into verifiable, concrete physical test criteria
• Safety & Regulatory Compliance: Maintain a safe testing environment by adhering to strict laboratory and field safety protocols, ensuring all documentation supports our FAA and UAS certification pathways

Our Ideal Candidate

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 2+ years of professional experience in a dedicated engineering test environment (e.g., hardware verification, environmental qualification, or physical lab testing)
• Hands-on experience with electric motors, propulsion systems, battery systems, EV systems
• Hands-on experience setting up and operating data acquisition hardware (e.g., National Instruments, Dewesoft) and associated instrumentation
• Strong mechanical or electrical troubleshooting skills—comfortable parsing engineering schematics, 3D CAD models, or wiring diagrams to diagnose issues
• Proficiency in data processing and analysis using software tools such as Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW
• Excellent communication skills, with a track record of authoring clear, concise, and professional test reports

Bonus Points For

• Experience working within the aerospace, UAV, automotive EV, or robotics industries
• Familiarity with hardware qualification standards such as DO-160G, military standards (MIL-STD-810), or automotive equivalents
• Experience with automated testing or hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing platforms
• Experience designing structural load-cells or thermal/environmental testing setups

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced aerospace company
• Comprehensive medical benefits
• 401(k) with company contribution + Roth IRA
• Free daily lunch provided onsite
• Flexible time-off policy
• 3 months of paid parental leave
• Employee assistance program with 24/7 support
• High-impact startup environment with significant ownership and autonomy
• Opportunities for rapid career growth and internal advancement
• You’ll work with a motivated, kind, and highly skilled team
• You'll help shape and define our company culture and values
• You'll help build and scale a new category of aerospace / logistics technology

$118,000 - $190,000 a year

Elroy Air is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.
We are committed to an inclusive, harassment-free workplace and we gladly provide reasonable accommodations to support our team.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder). All employees will be screened through E-Verify.