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Entry Level Flight Test Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

UAS Flight Test Engineer

Atlanta, GA · On-site

$84K - $95K/yr

The Flight Test Engineer will be an individual contributor responsible for ensuring the reliability and performance of our drone systems, and providing critical insights and improvements for our ...

UAS Flight Test Engineer

Atlanta, GA · On-site

$84K - $95K/yr

The Flight Test Engineer will be an individual contributor responsible for ensuring the reliability and performance of our drone systems, and providing critical insights and improvements for our ...

Perform flight test engineering duties, including test card preparation, test direction, and other control room responsibilities * Perform miscellaneous engineering duties as tasked to provide design ...

Flight Test DER

Marina, CA · On-site

$222K - $286K/yr

Perform flight test engineering duties, including test card preparation, test direction, and other control room responsibilities * Perform miscellaneous engineering duties as tasked to provide design ...

Perform flight test engineering duties, including test card preparation, test direction, and other control room responsibilities * Perform miscellaneous engineering duties as tasked to provide design ...

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Entry Level Flight TEST Engineer information

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$43.5K

$134.9K

$204K

How much do entry level flight test engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level flight test engineer in the United States is $134,885.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $105,500.00 and $160,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an Entry Level Flight Test Engineer do?

An Entry Level Flight Test Engineer supports the planning, execution, and analysis of flight tests for aircraft and aerospace systems. They assist in developing test plans, collecting data, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring compliance with safety and performance standards. This role involves working closely with senior engineers, pilots, and technicians to validate aircraft functionality and system performance. Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and a foundational understanding of aerodynamics and avionics are essential.

What types of projects or aircraft could I expect to work on as an Entry Level Flight Test Engineer?

As an Entry Level Flight Test Engineer, you may work on a variety of flight test campaigns, ranging from testing new aircraft prototypes to evaluating modifications on existing platforms, such as fixed-wing airplanes, helicopters, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Early in your career, your responsibilities may include supporting instrumentation setup, assisting in mission planning, and collecting and analyzing test data under the guidance of senior engineers. You’ll likely rotate through different project teams, gaining exposure to various flight systems, test protocols, and data analysis techniques. This hands-on experience provides valuable insight into the full aircraft development and certification process while supporting your professional growth in the aerospace field.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Entry Level Flight Test Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Entry Level Flight Test Engineer, you need a background in aerospace or mechanical engineering, a solid understanding of aerodynamics and data analysis, and often a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with data acquisition systems, control theory, flight simulation software, and sometimes certification in FAA or military testing protocols are important technical aspects. Strong problem-solving, attention to detail, teamwork, and effective communication skills help set candidates apart. These abilities ensure safe, accurate testing and successful collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, which are crucial for developing and validating aircraft performance.

More about Entry Level Flight TEST Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Entry Level Flight Test Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Entry Level Flight Test Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Flight Test Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Flight Test Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Entry Level Flight Test Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Entry Level Flight Test Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Entry Level Flight Test Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Entry Level Flight Test Engineer jobs are:
Infographic showing various Entry Level Flight Test Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% Locum Tenens, 96% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 92% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $134,885 per year, or $64.8 per hour.
Flight Test Engineer with Security Clearance

Flight Test Engineer with Security Clearance

Anduril Industries

Costa Mesa, CA • On-site

$112K - $149K/yr

Other

Posted 25 days ago


Anduril rating

9.4

Company rating: 9.4 out of 10

Based on 7 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold.

Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years. The Test and Evaluation team at Anduril plays a crucial role in our mission, ensuring that every product meets the highest standards of performance and reliability.

Our team conducts full system level development testing, new production acceptance testing, software validation testing and much more. This position is looking for a highly motivated flight test engineer with emphasis in software/hardware capability development and evaluation for the Altius UAS platform. Altius is a Group 2/3 autonomous vehicle specializing in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

You will be responsible for the evaluation of the software and hardware capabilities for operational suitability as well as Altius's integration into the full suite of Anduril systems to complete complex operations. What you'll do * As a flight test engineer, under minimal supervision, you will be responsible for test planning, execution, reporting, and evaluating the system under test (software and/or hardware). * Test duties include: * Support and plan test events conducted at test sites as required by the specific test.

* Configuration management of test owned assets. This includes specific to test configuration management (hardware components, specific payloads, software/firmware configuration) as well as fleet management (facilitate and track required maintenance, planning/assigning asset requirements for current testing and future efforts). * Generation of evaluation test plans and reports focusing on system functionality and suitability of software and hardware integration efforts.

In addition to technical test planning, planning includes safety (risk, hazards, develop mitigations) and logistical (available hardware, airspace, personnel resources, timeline/scheduling). * Generate and execute test cards, conduct pre and post flight briefings, and manage test events with diverse support teams (pilots, engineering subject matter experts (SME), operations). Testing execution will include operating Altius when conducting system evaluation testing.

* Collaborate with SMEs and cross functional teams within the business line through development and production testing, reporting of test findings, and test status. This includes adjudication of testing tasks and characterization of issues, observations, and detailing results. * Interface daily with hardware and software engineering teams.

* Collect metrics for flight test events to include sortie information and delays. Required Qualifications * A bachelor's degree or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution * Must possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly; apply them accurately; organize, schedule, and coordinate work phases; and determine the appropriate approach at the task level or, with assistance, at the project level to provide solutions to a range of complex problems. * Must have strong communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills.

Must play in active role in strengthening communication channels both within the team and externally (engineering, program leadership, operations). * Methodical, thorough, and detail oriented. * Ability to work independently and as part of a team; able to perform complex tasks in one or more engineering areas.

* Willingness to learn new skills and concepts. * Current or able to acquire an FAA 14 CFR Part 107: Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems certification. * Current or able to acquire an FAA 14 CFR Part 61: Certification Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground Instructors (ground test complete is the ONLY requirement).

* Previous experience or working knowledge of National Airspace and UAS operating guidelines and regulations. * Ability to obtain a security clearance. * Able to work extended hours as required.

* Ability to travel as required for planning and testing. Preferred Qualifications * Strong software and documentation experience; familiarity with Linux based operating systems, networking, ssh, and command line. * 1-3 years flight test engineering or system level testing experience.

* Knowledge and experience with Group 2/3 fixed wing systems * Experience working DOD programs. US Salary Range $112,000 - $149,000 USD The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations.

Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including: Benefits At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you're supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next.

For more information, Explore Our Benefits . Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers.

These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information. To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind: * No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates.

* Please always verify communications: * Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address. * Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to .

* Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links. * What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to .

Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts. Data Privacy To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/ . By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process.

This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.

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About Anduril Industries

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Anduril Industries is a trailblazer in the technology industry based in Costa Mesa, CA, US. Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, the company focuses on developing innovative technology to equip and empower those in the defense sector. Its primary products include cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI software that assist in combating threats to national and global security. The mission of Anduril Industries is to integrate technology and defense by building transformative, scalable solutions that ensure a safer world.

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Costa Mesa, CA, US

Year founded

2017

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