Flight Test Engineer, Solar-Powered Stratospheric Aircraft
Aerospace company building solar-powered aircraft for weeks-long flight in the stratosphere, Los Angeles area
| Employer | Aerospace company building solar-powered aircraft for weeks-long flight in the stratosphere, Los Angeles area (not named) |
|---|---|
| Location | El Segundo, CA (Los Angeles) · On-site |
| Type & level | Full-time · Mid-level |
| Pay | USD 125k–185k base Source: pay range stated in the source posting |
| Visa path | O-1A fit |
| Role family | Flight Test Engineer |
About the role
This company builds solar-powered aircraft meant to stay aloft at very high altitude for weeks. The flight test engineer owns the test program, from planning test cards to analyzing the flight data. The role exists so each flight produces trustworthy data that feeds the next design decision.
What you'll do
- Design flight test campaigns, test cards and pass/fail criteria from first flight through envelope expansion.
- Specify the instrumentation, sensors, data acquisition and telemetry needed for each test.
- Write test plans and hazard analyses and contribute to flight safety documentation.
- Oversee test execution in the field, monitor aircraft behavior in real time and recommend parameter changes with the test director and flight crew.
- Build and maintain the data pipeline and tooling, then analyze flights for performance, stability, loads and systems behavior.
- Run root cause analysis on anomalies and write quick-look and formal test reports.
Requirements
- Bachelor's or graduate degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical or a related engineering field.
- Experience in flight test, developmental test and evaluation, or a closely related discipline.
- Demonstrated experience planning and executing flight tests, ideally first-flight or build-up programs.
- Proficiency in MATLAB, Python or similar for data analysis and scripting, plus strong Linux command line skills.
- Working knowledge of instrumentation, telemetry and data acquisition.
- Willingness to travel to remote test sites and work long days outdoors on short notice.
Nice to have
- Experience as a test director or test conductor running test events.
- FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or experience operating unmanned aircraft.
- Background building RC or UAS aircraft, such as SAE Aero, Design Build Fly or serious hobby work.
- Flight test experience at an early-stage company.
Pay & benefits
USD 125k–185k base. The posting lists meaningful equity, health, dental and vision insurance, daily lunch and a base salary range, with equity grants described as part of total compensation.
Pay source: pay range stated in the source posting. Market data, not an offer from O1DMatch.
Visa path
Flight test engineers on novel aircraft programs often support an O-1A case with evidence such as critical roles on high-profile test programs, technical publications or reports, and compensation relative to peers. The posting states no citizenship restriction. An employer like this, or a U.S. agent, can file an O-1A petition if the candidate's record qualifies. Approval depends on the individual evidence and is not assured.
How to get matched
- Take the free eligibility checkAn AI review of your background against the eight O-1 criteria, at check.o1dmatch.com.
- Create your profile with code WORKWITHUSIt unlocks the Starter plan at no cost. Tell us your field and the work you do today.
- Upload your evidenceEach document is sorted under the criterion it supports, and your criteria map shows what is still missing.
- Get matchedWe match strong profiles with U.S. employers hiring for roles like this one. Gigs you confirm with verified companies count toward your itinerary, and at a score of 75 we connect you with an immigration attorney.
This listing describes a real U.S. posting so you can see what employers ask for. O1DMatch does not represent that employer and does not hold this opening; applying matches you with employers hiring for this kind of role. No visa outcome is promised.