Mission Operator - Flight Test Engineer

Paso Robles, California, United StatesFull Time$85,000–$140,000 /yrPosted 2 months agoVisa sponsorship available

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Role summary

Scout AI is seeking a Flight Test Engineer to join its Mission Operations team, focusing on the development, testing, and operationalization of autonomous aerial systems. This role involves designing and executing flight test plans, operating UAS in real-world environments, collecting and analyzing flight data, and reporting findings to drive engineering decisions. Responsibilities include system troubleshooting, payload integration, and supporting customer demonstrations. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or equivalent experience, 3+ years of UAS experience, strong troubleshooting skills, and the ability to work in dynamic outdoor environments with frequent travel.

The future of defense will be decided by those who field intelligent machines at scale. At Scout AI, we’re developing Fury, the first robotic foundation model for defense, to give U.S. forces overwhelming, adaptable, and autonomous power across every domain. Fury enables human operators to command fleets of robots through natural language, and empowers those machines to sense, decide, and act together as one. This mission will ask everything of us: urgency, precision, and relentless work.

The RoleWe’re hiring a Flight Test Engineer to join our Mission Operations team. This role focuses on the development, testing, and operationalization of Scout’s autonomous aerial systems. You will play a critical role in accelerating product development through disciplined flight testing, structured evaluation, and close collaboration with engineering.

You will be responsible for designing and executing structured flight test plans, operating unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in real-world environments, collecting and analyzing flight and system data, and generating clear reports that drive engineering decisions. You will also support customer demonstrations and ensure systems are prepared for both internal testing and external deployment.

You will spend most of your time in the field at test ranges and flight environments. This role requires adaptability, strong technical aptitude, and the ability to move seamlessly between flight operations, troubleshooting systems, configuring payloads, and providing structured feedback to engineers. Your work directly drives flight safety, autonomy performance, and mission readiness.

Responsibilities

Design and execute structured flight tests to evaluate autonomy performance, flight stability, navigation, and mission behaviors

Operate unmanned aerial systems (UAS) safely in real-world environments, including pre-flight, in-flight monitoring, and post-flight procedures

Conduct pre-flight inspections, system checks, and airworthiness assessments to ensure safe operation

Collect, document, and organize high-quality flight and system data; identify failures, edge cases, and performance gaps

Analyze flight test results and generate clear, concise reports with findings and actionable recommendations

Troubleshoot and resolve hardware, software, and system-level issues in field environments

Support integration and validation of payloads, sensors (EO/IR, GPS, IMU), and autonomy software

Collaborate closely with engineering teams to translate flight test observations into prioritized product improvements

Support customer demonstrations and flight evaluations, ensuring systems are safe, reliable, and professionally executed

Contribute to the development of repeatable flight test procedures, safety protocols, and validation frameworks

Prepare and manage deployment logistics including aircraft setup, ground control systems, batteries, spares, and field site staging

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or related field) or equivalent hands-on experience

3+ years of experience operating, maintaining, or testing unmanned aerial systems (UAS), drones, or similar platforms

Strong understanding of flight operations, safety procedures, and pre/post-flight workflows

Strong troubleshooting skills across mechanical, electrical, and software systems

Experience executing structured test plans, collecting flight data, and documenting results clearly

Comfortable working in dynamic outdoor environments with frequent travel (50–75%)

Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate closely with engineering and cross-functional teams

High ownership mentality, attention to detail, and commitment to safety and disciplined execution

Why Join Scout

Work on the world’s most important frontier, ensuring U.S. and allied dominance in the age of intelligent machines

Be a core part of a team building the first defense-specific robotic foundation model

Collaborate with some of the top engineers in autonomy, AI, and national security

See your work deployed on real systems

Help define the future of intelligent defense systems

Backed by Draper Associates, Booz Allen Ventures, and other top investors

Benefits

Competitive base salary and bonus

Meaningful equity

Premium medical, dental, and vision plans with $0 paycheck contribution

Competitive PTO and company holiday calendar

Unlimited AI tokens

Catered lunch daily and fully stocked kitchen

EV charging

Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility)

The stated salary range below represents an estimated base pay only and reflects consideration of multiple compensation factors. Final salary offers may differ depending on factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience or training background, specialized skills, and business needs. Most full-time positions also include highly competitive equity awards, which form part of Scout AI's overall compensation package. In addition, Scout AI provides comprehensive, top-tier benefits to full-time employees.
US Salary Range
$85,000—$140,000 USD

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