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Flight Test Engineer Intern Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

SIL/HIL labs for flight controls, avionics, and aircraft as a whole; engineering flight simulators ... Build automated test processes requiring custom interfaces amongst disparate RTOS system models and ...

In addition to project management responsibilities, this position performs flight test engineer/experimental test pilot duties in support of developmental ground and flight testing, aircraft ...

Test Engineer

Waynesboro, VA · On-site

$89K - $134K/yr

... flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people ... We are looking for you to join our team as an RF Test Engineer to support production and ...

Test Engineer

Waynesboro, VA · On-site

$89K - $134K/yr

... flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people ... We are looking for you to join our team as an RF Test Engineer to support production and ...

Advanced Test Engineer

Dahlgren, VA · On-site

$134K - $241K/yr

This oversight encompasses the full test lifecycle for flight, ground, and cyber testing, including ... Ability to lead and execute extensive testing and provide engineering support on systems, system ...

Advanced Test Engineer

Dahlgren, VA · On-site

$134K - $241K/yr

This oversight encompasses the full test lifecycle for flight, ground, and cyber testing, including ... Ability to lead and execute extensive testing and provide engineering support on systems, system ...

Showing results 21-40

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 Virginia? The most popular types of Flight Test Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What job categories do people searching Flight Test Engineer Intern jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Flight Test Engineer Intern jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Flight Test Engineer Intern jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Flight Test Engineer Intern job openings:
Infographic showing various Flight Test Engineer Intern job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

Senior Software Test Engineer (Flight Safety Systems)

Peraton

Fort Belvoir, VA • On-site

$90 - $120/hr

Other

Re-posted 7 days ago


Peraton rating

8.3

Company rating: 8.3 out of 10

Based on 56 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

50th of 223 rated it services


Job description

Minimum Requirements
  • Minimum of 16 years w/o a degree or 14 years with AS/AA or 12 years with BS/BA; or 10 years with MS/MA; or 7 years with Ph.D
  • Active TS/SCI with adjudicated polygraph
Preferred Qualifications
  • 2+ years of experience with Flight Safety or astrodynamics test tools (e.g., STK, ASW SuperCombo), or STK Level 2 certification
  • 6+ years of combined experience in space operations, conjunction assessment, or flight safety systems testing
  • Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, conjunction analysis methods, and space domain awareness concepts
  • Experience validating or testing systems involving RSO catalogs, ephemeris data, and orbital propagation models
  • Ability to write and interpret Bash and Python scripts for test automation and data analysis
  • Familiarity with national security space mission environments (e.g., NRO-related systems and workflows)
Worklocation

As a Senior Software Test Engineer supporting Flight Safety (FS) systems within a national security space mission environment, you will be responsible for testing, validating, and integrating mission-critical software tools used to perform Flight Safety operations. You will ensure system reliability and operational readiness for tools that support conjunction assessment (CA), space object tracking, and ground threat deconfliction analysis.

In this role, you will serve as a technical SME focused on test planning, system validation, integration testing, and operational verification of FS software tools used in 24/7 operations. You will work closely with developers, system engineers, and operators to ensure that new capabilities and data sources are properly integrated into both legacy and evolving systems with minimal operational risk.

You will also support mission protection activities by ensuring systems accurately process resident space object (RSO) catalogs, ephemeris data, and trajectory inputs to identify collision risks and support decision-making for space operations stakeholders. A strong understanding of orbital mechanics and astrodynamics tools will be used to design effective test cases and validate system outputs.

Additionally, you will contribute to improving testing methodologies, system workflows, and operational procedures (TTPs) by identifying software issues, validating fixes in controlled environments, and supporting updates to training materials based on system changes and test outcomes.

Key Responsibilities
  • Lead integration and verification testing of new data sources and software capabilities within legacy and next-generation FS systems
  • Design, execute, and document software test plans, regression tests, and operational validation scenarios in test and pre-production environments
  • Use Bash and Python scripts to support automated testing, data validation, troubleshooting, and system analysis in Linux-based classified environments
  • Validate system performance by executing conjunction assessment and screening workflows, including RSO-to-RSO and RSO-to-ground proximity analysis (e.g., ASW “SuperCombo”-type runs)
  • Perform pre- and post-launch validation of TLEs, state vectors, and maneuver ephemeris data against cataloged RSOs to ensure collision risk mitigation logic is functioning correctly
  • Operate and validate orbit propagation and analysis tools (e.g., STK or ASW-type systems), ensuring correct input handling, output accuracy, and reporting consistency
  • Support defect identification, root cause analysis, and issue tracking for software anomalies discovered during test and operational use
  • Participate in test readiness reviews, flight safety meetings, and operational training/exercise events
  • Develop and maintain test documentation, validation reports, and user/training materials, and provide hands‑on instruction (OJT) to team members
  • Collaborate with engineers, operators, and external stakeholders to ensure system changes meet operational requirements and safety thresholds

This position is contingent upon award of contract

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About Peraton

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Peraton, we re at the forefront of delivering the next big thing every day. We re the partner of choice to help solve some of the world s most daunting challenges, delivering bold, new solutions to keep people around the world safer and more secure.

Industry

It services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Herndon, VA, US

Year founded

2017