Staff Engineer, Flight Test (R5006)

Shield AI is seeking an experienced Flight Test Engineer to plan, execute, analyze, and improve ground and flight test operations for a fast-paced next gen aircraft system. You will work closely across several segment owners of engineering, operations, autonomy, systems integration, product support, and manufacturing.  

Develop, publish, and execute comprehensive flight test plans, procedures, cards, risk assessments, safety, and readiness reviews 

Support integration and test of aircraft systems, payloads, comms/data links, software, ground control systems, and mission equipment 

Lead and coordinate pre-flight, flight, and post-flight activities, including system configuration, instrumentation, telemetry, data collection and test reports 

Analyze ground and flight test data to identify performance trends, anomalies, root causes, and corrective actions 

Coordinate with engineering teams to validate requirements, troubleshoot issues, and mature system capabilities 

Lead or participate in test range operations, safety briefings, go/no-go decisions, and test setup and logistics  

Document test results, lessons learned, anomalies, and recommendations in clear technical reports 

Support aircraft maintenance, configuration control, and system readiness 

Create and improve flight test processes, tools, data workflows, and operational efficiency 

Create and maintain ground and air operating limitations requirements  

Travel to test sites, customer locations, and field exercises as required 

Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM Degree) 

5-10 years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned/manned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering 

Strong understanding of aircraft systems, flight dynamics, avionics, telemetry, sensors, or control systems  

Proven ability to write and execute structured test plans, procedures, and reports 

Strong troubleshooting skills in field and/or lab environments 

Excellent communication skills and ability to work across engineering and operations teams 

Willingness to travel and work outdoors, fields, or test range environments 

Overtime and weekend coverage as required 

10+ years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering 

Experience in Group 4-5 UAS and/or fighter type capability or similar weapons systems 

Familiarity with FAA, DoW, and test range flight operations 

Experience with autonomy, navigation, mission planning, and Command-and-Control (C2) systems 

Hands-on experience with aircraft maintenance, avionics integration, payload integration, and ground support equipment  

Experience with telemetry systems, flight and data logs, sensor data, datalinks, and RF systems 

Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or crewed aviation experience 

Proven Mission Control Room experience using Integrated Analysis & Data System (IADS) or similar development FTI display system  

Experience leading or supporting developmental flight test campaigns from design through planning and execution to include reporting 

The ideal candidate is practical, detail-oriented engineer who is comfortable in control rooms, hangar/maintenance areas, and office type environments. You can write a detailed test plan, troubleshoot hardware and software at a test site, analyze flight data, and communicate clearly under operational pressure. You are safety-minded, have high technical acumen, and motivated by building and validating advanced and complex aircraft systems