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Drone Test Pilot & Certification Specialist
Brooklyn, USAPosted 11 months ago
Full-timehybrid
Job Description
Job Summary:
We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Flight Test Engineer & Certified Drone Pilot to lead and execute flight testing operations for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), with a focus on supporting system validation and certification efforts. The ideal candidate holds a current FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and has hands-on experience developing and executing flight test plans for UAS platforms. This role is critical in bridging the gap between engineering development, regulatory compliance, and safe operational testing.
Key Responsibilities:
- Plan, develop, and execute UAS flight test campaigns in support of system development, verification, and certification.
- Pilot drones in a variety of test scenarios while maintaining strict compliance with FAA Part 107 regulations.
- Define test objectives, success criteria, and detailed procedures in coordination with engineering, software, and safety teams.
- Collect, analyze, and report flight test data to support airworthiness, performance, and reliability assessments.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot flight anomalies and drive design improvements.
- Maintain flight logs, safety documentation, risk assessments, and pre-/post-flight checklists.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory and organizational safety standards for all test operations.
- Support the development of documentation packages for regulatory submissions and customer demonstrations.
Qualifications:
Required:
- FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (current and in good standing).
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
- 3+ years of experience with UAS flight testing, including test planning, execution, and data analysis.
- Strong understanding of UAS flight control systems, avionics, and telemetry tools.
- Experience working with FAA certification processes or similar regulatory frameworks.
- Proficiency in using tools for data acquisition and post-processing (e.g., MATLAB, Python, Excel).
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Preferred / Nice to Have:
Experience with BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations.
- Hands-on experience with tailsitter or other VTOL aircraft configurations.
- Familiarity with DO-178C, DO-254, or MIL-STD flight test documentation practices.
- Knowledge of mission planning and control tools (e.g., QGroundControl, MAVLink, PX4/ArduPilot).
- Hands-on experience with flight hardware integration and troubleshooting.
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary and benefits
- Opportunities for career growth in an innovative aerospace environment
- Access to cutting-edge UAS platforms and test facilities
- A collaborative and safety-focused work culture