Senior Flight Test Engineer - Hivemind Autonomy

About the role

Shield AI is a defense-tech company developing autonomy software, aircraft and simulation technologies. Its Hivemind Quality team validates new features in simulation, hardware-in-the-loop and real-world flight environments. It is seeking a Senior Flight Test Engineer to develop and run flight test strategies that validate autonomous behaviors, software integrations and end-to-end system performance, working with software, hardware and product teams.

Key responsibilities

• Lead system-level integration and flight test campaigns for Hivemind Mission Autonomy across small UAS and external platforms.
• Develop and run test strategies, plans, scenarios and success criteria covering autonomy capabilities, software integrations, system performance and customer workflows.
• Own test readiness and phase-gate decisions across simulation, SIL, HIL, ground and flight testing, including entry and exit criteria, configuration control and objective prioritization.
• Plan, direct and execute fly-fix-fly campaigns, coordinating engineers and test operators for rapid iteration.
• Approve test procedures, test cards and execution plans; lead risk assessments, hazard analyses and mitigation planning.
• Maintain test infrastructure, including simulation environments, flight assets, hardware configurations, multi-agent systems and automated test pipelines.
• Analyze flight logs, telemetry and ROS bags to find defects, root causes and anomalies, and trace results back to requirements.
• Serve as the main test interface to leadership, customers and external stakeholders, set up SOPs and report progress and risk.

Required profile

• Typically 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree, or 4 years with a Master's degree, or equivalent experience.
• Experience in system integration and test, including SIL, HIL, simulation and flight test environments.
• Organized and methodical, able to manage complex, fast-paced test campaigns.
• Strong written and verbal communication for safety-of-flight processes, hazard analysis and configuration control.
• Strong problem-solving and collaboration skills across software, hardware, product and test teams.
• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, or ability to obtain one within a reasonable timeframe.

Preferred qualifications

• Familiarity with networking, Linux and radio communications.
• Hardware design selection and 3D prototyping experience.
• Codex and GitLab, open-source flight controllers and sensor integration.
• Debugging autonomy subsystems via ROS logs.
• Automated test tooling, validation frameworks or data analysis tools in CI/CD pipelines.