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Flight Test Engineer Intern Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Icarus

Flight Test Engineer

El Segundo, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

The Flight Test Engineer makes sure every Icarus flight produces clean, trustworthy engineering data. You build the test cards and criteria, oversee their execution in the field, jump in on parameter ...

Canvas

Flight Test Engineer (PL)

Edwards, CA · On-site

Flight Test Engineer Location: Arnold AFB - Tullahoma, TH This is a pipeline requisition intended to identify and engage qualified candidates for anticipated future openings. Submission of an ...

Anduril Industries

Flight Test Engineer

Costa Mesa, CA · On-site

$112K - $149K/yr

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 ...

Joby Aviation

Flight Test Engineering Lead

Marina, CA · On-site

$188K - $242K/yr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Overview Joby Aviation is seeking a passionate and driven Flight Test Engineer Lead to join our flight test team. This role presents a unique opportunity to lead a highly talented team of flight test ...

Zipline

Senior Flight Test Engineer

South San Francisco, CA · On-site

$120K - $195K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • PTO

As a Senior Flight Test Engineer you will lead comprehensive flight test campaigns and integrate automated testing infrastructure into our flight test program. In this role, you will develop a deep ...

Socket.dev

Senior Flight Test Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$120 - $180/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

We are seeking a Flight Test Engineer to operate within the Flight Test team. Candidate will work with ground and flight operations, engineering, and other LTA teams, to develop test plans and direct ...

New

DCS CORPORATION

AEW flight Test Engineer

Ridgecrest, CA · On-site

$84K - $90K/yr

Salary Range: $84,137 - $90,000 Airborne Electronic Warfare (AEW) Flight Test Engineer supporting the F/A-18 & EA-18G Integrated Product Team (IPT) the incumbent will be required to support Flight ...

LTA Research

Senior Flight Test Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$115K - $170K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

We are seeking a Flight Test Engineer to operate within the Flight Test team. Candidate will work with ground and flight operations, engineering, and other LTA teams, to develop test plans and direct ...

LTA Research

Senior Flight Test Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$115K - $170K/yr

We are seeking a Flight Test Engineer to operate within the Flight Test team. Candidate will work with ground and flight operations, engineering, and other LTA teams, to develop test plans and direct ...

New

DCS Corp

AEW flight Test Engineer

Ridgecrest, CA

$84K - $90K/yr

Salary Range: $84,137 - $90,000 Airborne Electronic Warfare (AEW) Flight Test Engineer supporting the F/A-18 & EA-18G Integrated Product Team (IPT) the incumbent will be required to support Flight ...

LTA Research

Senior Flight Test Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$115K - $170K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

We are seeking a Flight Test Engineer to operate within the Flight Test team. Candidate will work with ground and flight operations, engineering, and other LTA teams, to develop test plans and direct ...

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All JobsFlight Test Engineer Intern JobsFlight Test Engineer Intern Jobs in California

Flight Test Engineer Intern information

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a flight test engineer intern, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Flight Test Engineer Intern, you need a solid understanding of aerospace engineering fundamentals, data analysis, and avionics, typically supported by progress toward a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with aircraft instrumentation, MATLAB, LabVIEW, and data acquisition systems is often required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, teamwork, and effective communication distinguish successful interns in this field. These skills are vital for ensuring accurate test results, maintaining safety standards, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams during complex flight test operations.

What is the difference between Flight Test Engineer Intern vs Flight Test Engineer?

AspectFlight Test Engineer InternFlight Test Engineer
Required CredentialsEnrolled in or recent graduate of aerospace or related engineering programBachelor's or master's degree in aerospace engineering or related field, with relevant certifications
Work EnvironmentInternship setting, often supervised, in aerospace testing facilities or on test flightsFull-time professional role, involved in planning, executing, and analyzing flight tests
Employer & Industry UsageInternships offered by aerospace companies, government agencies, or defense contractorsFull-time positions in aerospace, defense, or aviation industries

The main difference between a Flight Test Engineer Intern and a Flight Test Engineer is experience level and responsibility. Interns are typically students or recent graduates gaining hands-on experience, while engineers are full-time professionals responsible for planning and executing flight tests. Internships serve as a stepping stone toward a career as a Flight Test Engineer.

What types of projects and hands-on experiences can I expect as a flight test engineer intern?

As a Flight Test Engineer Intern, you’ll typically work on a mix of pre-flight preparations, data collection during test flights, and post-flight analysis. You may assist with instrumentation setup, monitor real-time data, and help troubleshoot technical issues alongside experienced engineers and pilots. Interns often collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including aerodynamics, avionics, and safety specialists, giving you an excellent opportunity to understand the broader context of flight testing. These experiences are invaluable for building foundational skills, gaining insight into industry-standard procedures, and networking for future career opportunities.

What does a flight test engineer intern do?

A Flight Test Engineer Intern assists in planning, executing, and analyzing flight tests for aircraft or aerospace systems. Their responsibilities often include preparing test plans, monitoring test flights, collecting data, and supporting senior engineers in evaluating aircraft performance and safety. Interns gain hands-on experience with test procedures, instrumentation, and regulatory compliance, contributing to the development and certification of new aviation products.

What are the most commonly searched types of Flight Test Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Flight Test Engineer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Flight Test Engineer Intern jobs in California?

For Flight Test Engineer Intern jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Flight Test Engineer Intern jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Flight Test Engineer Intern jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Flight Test Engineer Intern jobs?

Cities in California with the most Flight Test Engineer Intern job openings:

Flight Test Engineer Intern jobs near you
Infographic showing various Flight Test Engineer Intern job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 5% Internship, 85% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

Flight Test Engineer

Icarus

El Segundo, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

Re-posted 14 days ago

Job description

Icarus was founded on the belief that the Stratosphere is the Forgotten Frontier and that reclaiming it will define the next era of aerospace and what is possible from the sky. We build solar-powered aircraft that fly at 60,000 ft for weeks at a time, delivering persistent, affordable, and scalable presence from this layer of the atmosphere.
The Flight Test Engineer makes sure every Icarus flight produces clean, trustworthy engineering data. You build the test cards and criteria, oversee their execution in the field, jump in on parameter changes when the test calls for it, and turn the data into the conclusions that drive the next design. Operations runs the test event. You make sure it tests the right things and that we learn everything we can from it.
Mission
Re-establish and maintain dominance in the Stratosphere.
What you'll do
Plan the test
  • Design flight test campaigns, test cards, and pass/fail criteria from first flight through envelope expansion.
  • Define what we measure: instrumentation, sensors, data acquisition, and telemetry requirements.
  • Write test plans and hazard analyses, and contribute to flight safety documentation.
  • Translate engineering questions into test points that can effectively find an answer.

Oversee the test
  • Oversee execution of test cards and test criteria during test events, making sure each point is flown and captured correctly.
  • Monitor aircraft behavior and data in real time against the test criteria.
  • Recommend and make parameter changes when the test calls for it, in coordination with the test director and flight crew.
  • Capture the conditions, configuration, and events of every flight with precision.

Turn data into answers
  • Own the data: build and maintain the pipeline and tooling that turn raw flights into clean, usable engineering data.
  • Analyze flight data and telemetry to characterize aircraft performance, stability, loads, and systems behavior.
  • Run root cause analysis on anomalies and failures and drive them to resolution.
  • Write quick-look and formal test reports that engineering trusts and acts on.
  • Compare flight results against models and predictions and close the loop with the design teams.

Improve the test program
  • Continuously improve the tools, processes, and standards that make Icarus flight test fast, safe, and repeatable.
  • Travel to remote test sites and work in heat, cold, wind, and dust for long days on short notice.
What we're looking for
  • Bachelor's or graduate degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, or a related engineering discipline.
  • Experience in flight test, developmental test and evaluation, or a closely related discipline.
  • Demonstrated experience planning and executing flight test, ideally including first-flight or build-up test programs.
  • Familiarity with flight test fundamentals, ideally fixed-wing: test card design, envelope expansion, and test criteria.
  • Strong data analysis skills: you can turn large, messy flight data sets into clear engineering conclusions.
  • Proficiency in MATLAB, Python, or similar for data analysis, signal processing, and scripting.
  • Strong Linux command line skills for debugging and troubleshooting.
  • Working knowledge of instrumentation, telemetry, and data acquisition.
  • Calm, decisive judgment under pressure, especially when jumping in on parameters with an aircraft in the air.
  • Willingness to travel to remote test sites.
  • Strong communicator, non-negotiable.
  • High trust, extreme ownership, no ego.
Bonus
  • Experience as a test director or test conductor, running test events and directing the flight crew.
  • FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or experience operating unmanned aircraft.
  • Background building RC or UAS aircraft (SAE Aero, Design Build Fly, or serious hobbyist).
  • Experience working within a flight test program at an early-stage company.
Why Icarus
  1. Meaningful equity
  2. Top market salary and bonuses
  3. Health, dental, and vision insurance
  4. Factory in El Segundo
  5. Real ownership, real hardware, real flight
  6. Small team, massive responsibility
  7. High signal (engineering) to noise (management) culture
  8. Dream desk setup
  9. Daily lunch
  10. Unlimited celsius
This is not a normal flight test job
  1. We are pioneers, not corporate managers. Icarus deliberately optimizes for a high signal (engineers) to noise (management) ratio, where engineering, flight, and execution matter more than process, politics, or management overhead.
  2. You will work side by side with the engineers who designed the aircraft and the operators who fly it. You will own the test cards and the data end to end. Plan it. Watch it fly. Analyze it. Tell us what to change. Then prove it on the next flight.
  3. We expect full extreme ownership. This is a high-trust, no-BS team, and everyone pulls their weight, especially in the field.
  4. We want engineers in the field, not behind a desk waiting for someone else's data. No theoretical test programs. No flights that do not teach us something. Just real aircraft, real envelopes, and real data.
  5. You must thrive under pressure, learn fast, and produce in the field. We move fast. We go to Mojave at 4 am in the morning. We expect results and an obsession with quality and speed.
  6. You will be the person who proves our aircraft can do what we say it can. If you want to own the test program that takes an aircraft to 60,000 ft for the first time, this is it.

No tourists. No bystanders. Only builders.
Hiring process
  1. Phone screen
  2. Technical interview and flight test problem
  3. Meet the flight and engineering team in-person
US salary range
$125,000 - $185,000 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 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 considered part of Icarus' total compensation package.
We're an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

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