Drone Testing & Validation Engineer

Drone Mid-level (L4 equivalent) 2-5 years

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Anduril

Skydio

Shield AI

Zipline

DJI

AeroVironment

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The job description

Tech stack. Flight test planning and execution, HIL/SIL simulation, test automation, data analysis (Python), requirements verification, safety procedures, PX4/ArduPilot logs, test ranges

About the role

You will join a drone technology company as the engineer who proves the aircraft works: designing test campaigns, running flight tests, and building the evidence that every requirement is met. You think in edge cases and failure modes, and you have the discipline to say "not ready" when the data says so. Your signature on a test report is what lets the company ship with confidence, and your skepticism is a feature, not a bug. You will also build the team's flight test data infrastructure, so engineers across the company can query historical test results and compare configurations instead of repeating expensive experiments.

What you will achieve

Design and execute component, subsystem, and system-level test campaigns that verify requirements with clear, unambiguous pass and fail criteria.
Reduce escaped defects by building hardware-in-the-loop and software-in-the-loop regression suites that catch integration regressions before they reach flight.
Shorten test cycles through automation: scripted test execution, automated log analysis, and dashboards that surface results to engineers fast.
Improve flight safety by owning test range procedures, risk assessments, and contingency planning for every test campaign you run.
Deliver verification evidence packages that satisfy internal quality gates and stand up to external certification or customer audits.

What you will bring

Must-haves

2-5 years of experience testing UAVs, aerospace systems, or complex robotics, including hands-on flight or field testing.
Experience writing test plans traceable to requirements and executing them with disciplined, repeatable data collection.
Proficiency in Python for test automation and log analysis, with comfort working across large flight datasets.
Familiarity with HIL and SIL simulation setups for autopilot and avionics validation.
Strong safety mindset: formal risk assessments, detailed test cards, and the judgment to halt testing when conditions change.
Ability to read flight logs and telemetry to diagnose failures down to the responsible subsystem.
Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field.

Nice-to-haves

Part 107 certification with test pilot experience on experimental aircraft.
Experience with environmental testing including thermal, vibration, and ingress protection.
Knowledge of DO-178C or similar verification standards for safety-critical software.
Background in statistical test design and reliability demonstration methods.