Head of Flight Test Engineering

Palo Alto, CAHybridFull TimeManager / Head$276,000–$293,000 /yrPosted 2 months ago

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Required skills

Flight Test and Evaluation
autonomous systems
test strategy
flight test engineers
flight test programs
Wing Delivery System
systems-engineering
test campaigns
telemetry tools
test automation

Nice to have

Test Pilot School
long course
Flight Test Engineer track
Test Pilot track
FAA processes
standards compliance

Role summary

Wing is seeking a Head of Flight Test Engineering in Palo Alto, CA, to lead its Flight Test and Evaluation team. This hybrid role requires deep technical expertise in autonomous systems to define test strategies, mentor engineers, and ensure rigorous program execution. The Head of Flight Test Engineering will manage a team, balancing people leadership with technical oversight, and play a key role in planning, executing, and analyzing flight tests to support regulatory approvals. This position acts as a liaison between engineering, operations, regulatory, and product development, translating test findings into business impacts to influence roadmaps. Responsibilities include team growth, developing test evaluation strategies, architecting efficient test campaigns, integrating advanced testing capabilities, driving end-to-end execution, and ensuring data integrity for regulatory submissions.

About Wing:

Wing offers drone delivery as a safe, fast, and sustainable solution for last mile logistics. Consumer appetites for on-demand services are increasing, but current delivery methods are inefficient, costly, and contribute to road accidents and air pollution. Wing’s fleet of highly automated delivery drones can transport small packages directly from businesses to homes on-demand, in minutes. We design, build, and operate our aircraft, and offer drone delivery services on two continents. Our technology is designed to be easy to integrate into existing delivery and logistics networks, offering a scalable drone delivery solution for a broad range of businesses. Wing is a part of Google's parent company, Alphabet, and our mission is to create the preferred means of delivery for the planet. If you're ready to do the greatest work of your life, come join us.

About the Role

Wing is looking for a Head of Flight Test Engineering to lead our Flight Test and Evaluation team. This role is hybrid based in Palo Alto, CA. In this role, you will bring deep technical domain expertise across autonomous systems to guide test strategy, mentor a talented team of flight test engineers, and ensure our flight test programs operate at peak efficiency and rigor.

You will manage a team of Flight Test Engineers, balancing people leadership with technical expertise. You will lead high-integrity planning, execution, and analysis that directly underpins regulatory approvals and compliance. Crucially, you will be a bridge between engineering, operations, regulatory, and product development—translating flight test observations into clear business impacts to empower and shape Wing’s overall development roadmaps.

What You’ll Do

Manage, mentor, and grow the Flight Test Engineering team, fostering a high-performing technical culture, clear career pathways, and strong cross-functional alignment.

Be responsible for the development of flight test evaluation strategies and plans for all aspects of the Wing Delivery System, from end-to-end system validation to novel component level technology development and operational concepts.

Apply broad systems-engineering expertise and cross-functional collaboration to architect lean, high-velocity test campaigns that maximize data quality and shorten development feedback loops.

Advance our testing capabilities by integrating telemetry tools, test automation, novel flight test techniques and simulation to continuously expand test capabilities.

Drive end-to-end flight test execution—including risk assessments, Test Readiness Reviews (TRRs), Test Director duties, and advanced flight data evaluation.

Connect flight test observations directly to commercial outcomes, apply critical thinking by translating observations into actionable guidance for product, regulatory, and engineering roadmaps.

Drive high-integrity test planning, rigorous execution, and standardized data analysis to generate the traceability and objective evidence required for FAA and global aviation safety regulatory submissions.

What You’ll Need

15+ years in flight test engineering, with extensive experience in complex or autonomous system development.

3+ years of hands-on experience flight testing Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (sUAS), eVTOL, or autonomous aircraft.

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline from an accredited university, or equivalent experience.

Demonstrated track record of technical leadership or direct people management of flight test and evaluation teams.

Deep, end-to-end domain knowledge across autonomous aircraft systems and their integration into a real-world operational environment.

Practical experience pairing Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) simulation with flight testing to accelerate feature validation and maximize test program efficiency.

Proven ability to evaluate test programs for efficiency, converting raw data and observations into actionable engineering insights, and communicate the commercial and operational implications of technical test results.

Exceptional ability to translate complex flight data into actionable feedback for cross-functional engineering partners, product leaders, regulatory bodies, and executive leadership.

Current FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot certificate

Familiarity with FAA processes, standards compliance, or SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) frameworks preferred.

Successful completion of an internationally recognized Test Pilot School long course, Flight Test Engineer or Test Pilot track, preferred.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is the salary range below + bonus + equity + benefits. Wing’s salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.

Salary Range$276,000—$293,000 USD

Wing is an equal opportunity employer and it is Wing's policy to comply with all applicable national, state and local laws pertaining to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. Employment at Wing is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. Wing does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), or any other basis protected by law.

If you have a need that requires accommodation during the interview process due to a disability or special need, please let us know by completing our Candidate Accommodations Request Form.

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