Sustaining Test Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Principal Systems Test Engineer (Aerospace)

About Electra

At Electra, we're pioneering sustainable aviation by developing hybrid-electric Ultra Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft designed to transform regional air mobility, by making air travel more efficient, quieter, and environmentally friendly. Able to operate from soccer field-sized spaces, our Ultra Short unlocks a new era of aviation through what we call Direct Aviation - the next level of connectivity bringing air travel closer to where we live, work, and play. Headquartered in Northern Virginia, with additional locations in Switzerland, we're building a diverse team of global professionals passionate about redefining the future of aviation.

Position Overview

Electra is seeking a Principal Systems Test Engineer to lead the evaluation test activities for the company's flagship EL9 aircraft. This role will define and execute the integrated test strategy for aircraft-level systems-including propulsion, flight controls, avionics, hybrid-electric systems-ensuring reliable and safe test operations. The Principal Systems Test Engineer will serve as a technical authority for test setup, execution, and data analysis, while driving Electra's test capability development and guiding teams across all test lab environments.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions

• Lead the execution of the aircraft-level systems test strategy, from component level to flight test.
• Define system-level test setups according to engineering provided test plans.
• Architect, develop, and optimize test environments, including SIL/HIL labs with a focus on automation.
• Collaborate closely with engineering to ensure internal customer needs are met.
• Support root-cause analyses, failure investigations, and data-driven troubleshooting across multi-disciplinary systems.
• Develop and maintain robust test procedures and documentation, including procedures and data management.
• Source test equipment and instrumentation according to requirements defined by engineering in systems and aircraft level test plans.
• Provide technical mentorship to junior test and systems engineers.
• Contribute to the creation and advancement of Electra's test processes, tools, and best practices.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• 15+ years of experience in systems testing, integration, or verification of complex aerospace systems, or an equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Strong understanding of aircraft systems architecture, including propulsion, electrical power systems, avionics, and flight controls.
• Demonstrated expertise in assisting engineering with test plan development.
• Hands-on experience with HIL/SIL environments, test automation, and data acquisition systems.
• Familiarity with FAA certification processes, system safety assessments, and verification traceability.
• Proficiency with requirements management tools (e.g., JAMA, DOORS) and test data analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB, Python).
• Strong collaboration skills and experience leading technical reviews with cross-functional teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence technical and program stakeholders.

Desired Skills and Qualifications

• FAA certification experience
• Test engineering experience with hybrid-electric aircraft, distributed propulsion, or high-voltage electrical systems.
• Experience with developing or operating large-scale ground tests (e.g., structural testing, propulsion systems, battery energy storage systems, hardware systems integration labs).
• Knowledge of environmental qualification test standards (DO-160) and system development standards (e.g., ARP4754A and ARP4761).
• Experience with data acquisition systems (e.g., HBM, IACRA, and similar systems).
• Experience with successfully and efficiently testing through third party services providers.

Location & Additional Information

• Location: Headquarters in Manassas, VA. This position will require working at our headquarters full-time.
• Travel: Travel may be required to assist with third party and supplier testing.