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Flight Controls Systems Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

General Atomics

Flight Controls Engineer

Poway, CA · On-site

Job Summary General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics ... We have an exciting opportunity for a Flight Controls Engineer in San Diego, CA (Poway, CA) to join ...

Mosaic.tech

Flight Controls Engineer

Manhattan, NY · On-site

We're seeking a Flight Controls & GNC Engineer to own the guidance, navigation, and control stack ... Ability to read and interpret flight logs to diagnose control system issues (PX4 log analysis ...

Actalent

Flight Controls Engineer

Bingen, WA · On-site

Job Title: Controls Engineer - UAV Flight Dynamics and GNC This role focuses on understanding ... Identify whether observed flight behavior issues are related to modeling, tuning, or system-level ...

Actalent

Flight Controls Engineer

Bingen, WA · Hybrid

$147K - $236K/yr

Flight Controls Engineer You'll figure out why an unmanned helicopter flew the way it did, then fix ... Understanding of embedded systems and avionics interfaces such as CAN, UART, serial, and TCP and ...

General Atomics

Flight Controls Engineer

Poway, CA · On-site

Job Summary General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics ... We have an exciting opportunity for a Flight Controls Engineer in the San Diego (Poway, CA) area.

General Atomics

Flight Controls Engineer

Poway, CA · On-site

Job Summary General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics ... We have an exciting opportunity for an Advanced Programs Flight Controls Engineer in the San Diego ...

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How much do flight controls systems engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for flight controls systems engineer in the United States is $82.24, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $77.40 and $90.87 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a flight controls systems engineer do?

A Flight Controls Systems Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, testing, and maintaining the systems that control an aircraft's flight, such as autopilot, stability augmentation, and fly-by-wire systems. They work closely with other engineers to ensure these systems are safe, reliable, and comply with aviation regulations. Their work involves simulation, modeling, hardware integration, and troubleshooting to optimize aircraft performance and ensure passenger safety.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a flight controls systems engineer?

To excel as a Flight Controls Systems Engineer, you need a solid background in aerospace engineering, control systems theory, and experience with system modeling and simulation—typically supported by a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, DO-178C certification standards, and flight control software development environments is expected. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills for this role. These competencies are vital for ensuring the safety, reliability, and performance of aircraft flight control systems in a highly regulated industry.

What are some common challenges faced by flight controls systems engineers during the integration and testing phases?

Flight Controls Systems Engineers often encounter challenges such as ensuring seamless integration of complex hardware and software components, managing tight deadlines, and troubleshooting unexpected system behaviors during testing. Collaborating closely with multidisciplinary teams, including avionics, software, and testing engineers, is crucial to resolve issues efficiently. Additionally, engineers must adhere to rigorous safety and certification standards, which requires meticulous documentation and thorough validation of all system functionalities.

What is the difference between Flight Controls Systems Engineer vs Avionics Engineer?

AspectFlight Controls Systems EngineerAvionics Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering; certifications like FAA or EASA may be preferredBachelor's in Electrical, Electronics, or Aerospace Engineering; similar certifications often required
Work EnvironmentDesign, develop, and test flight control systems in aerospace companies or research labsDesign and integrate avionic systems within aircraft or spacecraft
Industry UsagePrimarily in aerospace manufacturing, defense, and researchUsed across commercial, military, and general aviation sectors

The Flight Controls Systems Engineer focuses on designing and testing aircraft control systems, while the Avionics Engineer works on broader electronic systems within aircraft. Both roles require similar credentials and often collaborate in aerospace projects, but their specific responsibilities differ based on system specialization.

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Flight Controls Systems Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Flight Controls Systems Engineer job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 85% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $171,051 per year, or $82.2 per hour.

Flight Controls Engineer

Lafayette, LA • Remote

DMR TECHNOLOGIES INC
Retail • 1 - 10 employees
Learn more about DMR TECHNOLOGIES INCexternal

$60K - $150K/yr

Full-time

Posted 13 days ago

Job description

UAS Flight Controls EngineerLocation: Lafayette, Louisiana
Employment Type: Full-Time
Company: DMR Technologies
This role could possibly be performed remotely in the US, however, there may be a compensation premium for people willing to be in the state of Louisiana (Lafayette, preferably).  Strong preference to Lafayette, LA.  It is also possible that this role could be considered for stock options for the right person.
Position Overview
DMR Technologies is seeking a UAS Flight Controls Engineer to support the development, integration, testing, and continued improvement of our unmanned aircraft systems.
Direct flight-control experience is required for this position. The successful candidate may have a stronger background in either firmware/software or electrical hardware and avionics. We do not expect one person to be an expert in both.
What is important is a strong understanding of UAS flight-control systems and how the flight controller interacts with the aircraft as a complete system.

This is a hands-on role working directly with flight controllers, aircraft hardware, embedded systems, sensors, communications, propulsion systems, and flight-test data.
Key Responsibilities
  • Integrate, configure, test, and troubleshoot UAS flight-control systems.
  • Support flight-controller setup, parameter configuration, tuning, and validation.
  • Diagnose aircraft stability, control, navigation, communication, and flight-performance issues.
  • Analyze flight logs, telemetry, sensor data, and aircraft behavior to identify root causes.
  • Integrate flight controllers with GPS/GNSS, IMUs, magnetometers, barometers, ESCs, motors, telemetry, communications systems, and other aircraft components.
  • Develop and execute bench, ground, and flight-testing procedures.
  • Validate new aircraft configurations, components, firmware releases, and flight-control changes.
  • Support development and testing of failsafes, flight modes, autonomous functionality, and other flight-control features.
  • Troubleshoot complex aircraft issues across firmware, avionics, electrical hardware, propulsion, sensors, and communications.
  • Work with engineering, production, and operations teams to move new aircraft and system improvements from development into production.
  • Provide engineering-level support for flight-control issues identified during production or field operations.
  • Document aircraft configurations, parameters, test results, technical issues, and corrective actions.
Qualifications
Required
  • Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, or a related technical field, or equivalent relevant experience.
  • Hands-on experience with UAS or autonomous aircraft flight-control systems.

  • Experience configuring, integrating, tuning, developing, or troubleshooting flight controllers.
  • Understanding of aircraft stability, control, navigation, sensors, and flight-control architecture.
  • Experience analyzing flight logs, telemetry, or other flight-test data.
  • Experience integrating flight controllers with aircraft sensors, propulsion systems, communications, and other onboard systems.
  • Strong technical troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills.
  • Ability and willingness to work directly with aircraft during bench testing, ground testing, and flight testing.
Hardware / Avionics Experience
Experience in one or more of the following is valuable:
  • Flight-control electronics and avionics integration
  • Electrical system design and troubleshooting
  • Sensors, GPS/GNSS, communications, and telemetry systems
  • ESC, motor, and propulsion-system integration
  • CAN, UART, SPI, I2C, or similar communication protocols
  • Wiring, harnesses, connectors, PCBs, and electrical schematics
  • Electronics prototyping and component-level troubleshooting
Firmware / Software Experience
Experience in one or more of the following is valuable:
  • Embedded firmware development
  • C/C++ or similar embedded programming
  • Flight-control or autopilot software
  • PX4, ArduPilot, or similar flight-control platforms
  • Flight-control algorithms, control loops, or autonomous functionality
  • Firmware debugging and validation
  • Git or similar version-control systems
Candidates are not expected to have deep expertise in both the hardware and firmware areas. Strong flight-control experience combined with depth in either discipline is preferred.
Preferred Experience
  • Development or integration of multirotor, fixed-wing, VTOL, or other unmanned aircraft.
  • Experience taking a UAS from prototype through flight testing and production.
  • Flight-controller tuning and aircraft performance optimization.
  • Autonomous flight, mission planning, or navigation systems.
  • Experience developing or validating flight-critical features and failsafes.
  • Experience supporting UAS manufacturing or field operations.
  • FAA Part 107 certification or willingness to obtain certification.
What We're Looking For
Above all, we are looking for a flight-controls person.
You may come from the firmware side and be comfortable working with aircraft hardware, or you may come from the avionics/hardware side and be comfortable working with flight-control software.
Either background can work.
What we need is someone who understands how a flight-control system interacts with the aircraft, can diagnose why an aircraft is not behaving as expected, and can work through the hardware, software, sensor, propulsion, and configuration variables necessary to solve the problem.
This is a hands-on engineering position. You should be equally comfortable analyzing flight data at a computer, troubleshooting an aircraft on the bench, and participating in flight testing in the field.

This is a remote position.