Flight Test Engineer Jobs
Flight Test Engineer jobs are open across aerospace, defense, and aviation manufacturing, from entry-level to senior and chief engineer, with specializations in flight dynamics, avionics integration, and systems safety test. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
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L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.
L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.
Job Title: Lead, Flight Test Engineer
Job Number: 39823
Job Location: Ashburn, VA
Job Schedule: 9/80 - Employees work 9 out of every 14 days – totaling 80 hours worked – and have every other Friday off
Job Description:
L3Harris Agile Development Group (ADG) is seeking a Flight Test Engineer to join the Flight Test and Evaluation team in support of developmental and operational test activities for unmanned aircraft and missile systems. This role leads complex test events across engineering, flight test, maintenance, and program teams from planning through execution and reporting. The ideal candidate will bring strong technical judgment, disciplined test execution, and the ability to keep challenging efforts organized and moving forward.
Essential Functions:
- Plan and execute ground and flight test events for unmanned aircraft and missile systems.
- Develop test objectives, procedures, test cards, evaluation criteria, readiness review materials, and test reports.
- Lead or participate in test readiness reviews, pre-test briefings, and post-test debriefs to confirm event readiness, communicate risk, capture results, and define follow-on actions.
- Experience developing and executing test plans, procedures, and reporting packages for technically complex systems.
- Strong knowledge of test planning, technical problem-solving, data review, and anomaly resolution.
- Experience leading airworthiness and flight clearance efforts for developmental test, including preparation and coordination of approval packages such as MFR, AWR, and IFC
- Ability to manage complex assignments with general oversight, coordinate cross-functional test activities, and provide technical guidance within the test team.
- Experience working across engineering, operations, maintenance, safety, and program teams, with strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Familiarity with the operating rules, range constraints, and approval considerations governing unmanned aircraft or missile system test activities.
- Willingness to travel up to 25% to test locations and work extended hours during active test windows.
- Coordinate vehicle configuration, instrumentation, staffing, logistics, scheduling, and range support for each test event.
- Lead or support complex test operations by coordinating with flight operations, ground support crews, air traffic control, range personnel, and other external stakeholders as required to maintain safe execution, strong team communication, and day-to-day technical alignment.
- Support integration, checkout, and verification of avionics, propulsion, flight controls, payload interfaces, and other hardware and software, as applicable.
- Identify hazards, assess risk, and ensure testing is conducted within approved procedures and safety limits.
- Lead preparation and coordination of airworthiness and safety approval packages required to support ground and flight test.
- Review telemetry, instrumentation, mission results, and operator observations; document anomalies; support root-cause investigations; and define follow-on testing.
- Work with engineering, operations, and program leadership to refine requirements, resolve issues, and improve test methods.
- Support developmental, integration, qualification, environmental, acceptance, and operationally focused test efforts across hardware and software.
- Travel to test locations and support remote-site operations, including extended work hours during active test windows, as required.
Qualifications:
- Active U.S. DoD Secret security clearance required; must be a U.S. citizen.
- Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, or another relevant technical field, and a minimum of 9 years of prior relevant experience.
- Graduate Degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience.
- In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.
Preferred Additional Skills:
- 9+ years of relevant experience in flight test, developmental test, or test and evaluation for complex aerospace systems.
- Experience supporting developmental or integration test activities for unmanned aircraft, missile systems, or related aerospace platforms.
- Familiarity with flight test instrumentation, telemetry systems, data reduction workflows, and post-mission analysis tools.
- Experience with subsystem integration and verification involving avionics, propulsion, flight controls, mission systems, or release mechanisms.
- Experience with test safety planning, hazard analysis, and operational risk controls for flight or range activities.
- Experience preparing for and working through service-specific weapons safety review boards and approval processes in support of developmental test activities.
- Experience working at remote sites and coordinating with internal teams, site personnel, and external partners.
- Familiarity with scripting or data analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, or similar engineering toolsets.
- Experience with Linux-based systems, mission planning software, or vehicle control and monitoring tools.
In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in the Greater D.C. areas is Min $122,000.00 - $227,000.00 Max. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.
#LI-KM1
L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.
Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
By submitting your resume for this position, you understand and agree that L3Harris Technologies may share your resume, as well as any other related personal information or documentation you provide, with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies for the purpose of considering you for other available positions.
L3Harris Technologies is an E-Verify Employer. Please click here for the E-Verify Poster in English or Spanish. For information regarding your Right To Work, please click here for English or Spanish.
L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.
L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.
Job Title: Lead, Flight Test Engineer
Job Number: 39823
Job Location: Ashburn, VA
Job Schedule: 9/80 - Employees work 9 out of every 14 days – totaling 80 hours worked – and have every other Friday off
Job Description:
L3Harris Agile Development Group (ADG) is seeking a Flight Test Engineer to join the Flight Test and Evaluation team in support of developmental and operational test activities for unmanned aircraft and missile systems. This role leads complex test events across engineering, flight test, maintenance, and program teams from planning through execution and reporting. The ideal candidate will bring strong technical judgment, disciplined test execution, and the ability to keep challenging efforts organized and moving forward.
Essential Functions:
- Plan and execute ground and flight test events for unmanned aircraft and missile systems.
- Develop test objectives, procedures, test cards, evaluation criteria, readiness review materials, and test reports.
- Lead or participate in test readiness reviews, pre-test briefings, and post-test debriefs to confirm event readiness, communicate risk, capture results, and define follow-on actions.
- Experience developing and executing test plans, procedures, and reporting packages for technically complex systems.
- Strong knowledge of test planning, technical problem-solving, data review, and anomaly resolution.
- Experience leading airworthiness and flight clearance efforts for developmental test, including preparation and coordination of approval packages such as MFR, AWR, and IFC
- Ability to manage complex assignments with general oversight, coordinate cross-functional test activities, and provide technical guidance within the test team.
- Experience working across engineering, operations, maintenance, safety, and program teams, with strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Familiarity with the operating rules, range constraints, and approval considerations governing unmanned aircraft or missile system test activities.
- Willingness to travel up to 25% to test locations and work extended hours during active test windows.
- Coordinate vehicle configuration, instrumentation, staffing, logistics, scheduling, and range support for each test event.
- Lead or support complex test operations by coordinating with flight operations, ground support crews, air traffic control, range personnel, and other external stakeholders as required to maintain safe execution, strong team communication, and day-to-day technical alignment.
- Support integration, checkout, and verification of avionics, propulsion, flight controls, payload interfaces, and other hardware and software, as applicable.
- Identify hazards, assess risk, and ensure testing is conducted within approved procedures and safety limits.
- Lead preparation and coordination of airworthiness and safety approval packages required to support ground and flight test.
- Review telemetry, instrumentation, mission results, and operator observations; document anomalies; support root-cause investigations; and define follow-on testing.
- Work with engineering, operations, and program leadership to refine requirements, resolve issues, and improve test methods.
- Support developmental, integration, qualification, environmental, acceptance, and operationally focused test efforts across hardware and software.
- Travel to test locations and support remote-site operations, including extended work hours during active test windows, as required.
Qualifications:
- Active U.S. DoD Secret security clearance required; must be a U.S. citizen.
- Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, or another relevant technical field, and a minimum of 9 years of prior relevant experience.
- Graduate Degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience.
- In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.
Preferred Additional Skills:
- 9+ years of relevant experience in flight test, developmental test, or test and evaluation for complex aerospace systems.
- Experience supporting developmental or integration test activities for unmanned aircraft, missile systems, or related aerospace platforms.
- Familiarity with flight test instrumentation, telemetry systems, data reduction workflows, and post-mission analysis tools.
- Experience with subsystem integration and verification involving avionics, propulsion, flight controls, mission systems, or release mechanisms.
- Experience with test safety planning, hazard analysis, and operational risk controls for flight or range activities.
- Experience preparing for and working through service-specific weapons safety review boards and approval processes in support of developmental test activities.
- Experience working at remote sites and coordinating with internal teams, site personnel, and external partners.
- Familiarity with scripting or data analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, or similar engineering toolsets.
- Experience with Linux-based systems, mission planning software, or vehicle control and monitoring tools.
In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in the Greater D.C. areas is Min $122,000.00 - $227,000.00 Max. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.
#LI-KM1
L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.
Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
By submitting your resume for this position, you understand and agree that L3Harris Technologies may share your resume, as well as any other related personal information or documentation you provide, with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies for the purpose of considering you for other available positions.
L3Harris Technologies is an E-Verify Employer. Please click here for the E-Verify Poster in English or Spanish. For information regarding your Right To Work, please click here for English or Spanish.
Flight Test Engineer Jobs by Experience Level
See All 162+ Flight Test Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Flight Test Engineer JobsFlight Test Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman24
- Lockheed Martin19
- Joby Aviation9
- MTSI8
- Anduril8
Top Industries Hiring
- Aerospace & Defense
- Technology & Software
- Automotive
- Manufacturing
- Chemicals & Materials
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in flight test engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering
- Experience writing and executing flight test plans, test cards, or test procedures
- Proficiency with data acquisition and real-time telemetry systems
- Active DoD security clearance or eligibility for a secret or top secret clearance
- Familiarity with MIL-STD, FAA certification, or DO-178 compliance requirements
- Experience operating or evaluating avionics, navigation, or fly-by-wire systems
Tips for Your Flight Test Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to test phases
Recruiters scan for specific test phases you've worked, such as envelope expansion, qualification, or acceptance testing. Name each phase explicitly and tie it to a platform or aircraft type rather than listing generic 'flight test experience.'
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists flight test engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Highlight your data acquisition tool proficiency
Job postings routinely filter by tools like IADS, Curtiss-Wright, or MathWorks products. Calling these out by name in your resume and cover letter moves you past automated screening faster than describing the task those tools support.
Match your clearance level to the posting
Many defense flight test roles require an active clearance at the time of hire, not a clearable background. Read each posting closely and prioritize applications where your current clearance level matches exactly, since clearance upgrades can delay your start date.
Prepare a test card or flight card sample
Interviewers for flight test roles often ask you to walk through how you'd structure a test card. Having a sanitized, unclassified example from a previous program ready to discuss demonstrates procedural rigor in a way that abstract answers don't.
Ask specific questions about test infrastructure
At the offer stage, ask whether the team uses a dedicated telemetry ground station or relies on chase aircraft, and what the typical ratio of sim hours to live flight hours looks like. These questions signal experience and help you evaluate whether the role matches your background.
Flight Test Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most flight test engineers?
The companies hiring the most flight test engineers right now include Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Joby Aviation, with the largest share of openings in California, Florida, and Maryland, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Demand tends to concentrate around major flight test centers and defense contractor facilities.
How many flight test engineer jobs are remote?
About 12% of flight test engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of August 2026, which is low compared to most engineering disciplines. Data analysis, test planning, and post-flight report writing are the sub-areas most likely to allow remote days, while live flight operations and range work almost always require on-site presence.
How do you become a flight test engineer?
Start with a degree in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering, then build hands-on experience with instrumentation, data acquisition, or systems integration. Completing a formal flight test course through a program like the National Test Pilot School or an equivalent contractor-run course significantly strengthens your candidacy. From there, entry-level roles at defense contractors or test ranges provide the live flight exposure employers require.
Can you get a flight test engineer job with little or no experience?
Some contractors hire junior flight test engineers directly from engineering programs if you can show exposure to instrumentation, simulation environments, or laboratory test work. A strong senior capstone project involving data acquisition or vehicle dynamics, combined with an internship at an aerospace company, is often enough to qualify for associate or developmental test engineer roles that include structured on-the-job training.
What does the flight test engineer interview process look like?
Most hiring processes start with a recruiter screen followed by a technical phone interview covering test methodology, instrumentation, and data analysis. A panel interview typically comes next, where you'll walk through a past test program, discuss how you handled anomalies, and sometimes work through a scenario involving a test card or envelope expansion decision. Clearance verification and a background check follow an offer.
Where can I find and apply to flight test engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to flight test engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly to each listing from the page.
See All 162+ Flight Test Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Flight Test Engineer Jobs