Green Card Flight Test Engineer Jobs
Flight Test Engineer roles qualify for EB-2 and EB-3 green card sponsorship through the PERM labor certification process, which requires employers to document recruitment efforts before filing an I-140 immigrant petition. Defense contractors, aerospace OEMs, and commercial aviation firms routinely sponsor foreign engineers in this specialty occupation.
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Flagship Pioneering is a platform innovation company that invents and builds companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capital to allow them to take courageous leaps. Those big leaps in human health, sustainability and beyond exponentially accelerate scientific progress in areas ranging from disease detection and treatment and nature-positive agriculture to novel applications of AI that are driving the creation of new technologies.
What sets Flagship apart is our ability to advance science and technology by uniting innovation, company creation, and capital investment under one roof in a way that is largely without precedent. Our scientific founders, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and transform for the benefit of people and planet.
Many of the companies Flagship has founded have addressed humanity's most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture.
Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE's "Change the World" list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies and has been twice named to Fast Company's annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies.
THE ROLE
We are seeking a UAS Flight Operations Engineer II to join our growing hardware team. This is a field-oriented role for someone who thrives in the operational reality of long-range UAV missions — planning and executing BVLOS flights, managing regulatory compliance, and ensuring safe, mission-ready operations in demanding environments. You will lead the operational framework for our fixed-wing UAV platform: from waiver strategy and airspace coordination to real-time mission monitoring and post-flight analysis. You will work alongside a small, highly technical team, bridging the gap between engineering development and field execution as we scale from early prototype flights to hardened, field-proven operations in complex international environments.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead BVLOS operations planning and flight test execution, including waiver compliance, pre-flight risk assessment, and real-time mission monitoring;
- Lead flight testing of a custom fixed-wing airframe, from first flight and envelope expansion through iterative design validation with the engineering team;
- Own the FAA Part 107 waiver strategy, COA applications, and international UAS regulatory compliance across operating environments;
- Develop and maintain standardized operating procedures, pre-flight checklists, and emergency response protocols for field campaigns;
- Serve as primary pilot-in-command and/or flight test director for fixed-wing UAV missions, including manual RC proficiency during test and contingency operations;
- Analyze flight logs (MAVExplorer, Flight Review) to diagnose anomalies and drive iterative improvements to mission reliability and safety margins;
- Coordinate with meteorological resources and integrate atmospheric sensing data to support mission go/no-go decision-making;
- Collaborate with science and field teams to validate mission profiles, sensor data quality, and operational success criteria;
- Manage ground control station operations, C2 link monitoring, and spectrum compliance during live missions;
- Document flight operations, incident reports, and lessons learned to build a scalable operational knowledge base for the drone program.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in aerospace engineering, aviation, atmospheric science, or a closely related field; equivalent operational experience will be considered.
- BA/BS + 5 years of experience or MS + 3 years of experience with at least 2 years of hands-on UAV flight operations experience with fixed-wing platforms in real-mission or production contexts
- FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate required; demonstrated experience with BVLOS waivers, COA applications, or international UAS regulatory frameworks is strongly preferred;
- Experience operating ArduPilot-based autopilot systems, including mission scripting, failsafe configuration, and GCS software (Mission Planner, QGroundControl);
- Practical fixed-wing airframe flight experience, including manual RC aircraft proficiency and understanding of in-flight anomaly recognition;
- Familiarity with RF link monitoring, C2 spectrum compliance, and antenna management for long-range UAV operations;
- Experience with atmospheric sensing, meteorology, or operational weather forecasting is a strong plus;
- Experience supporting field campaigns or flight tests in remote or international environments is highly valued;
- Strong documentation habits: flight logs, incident reports, SOPs, and post-mission summaries suitable for regulatory review and program scaling;
- Genuine passion for operating novel aerial platforms in service of real-world scientific or environmental missions, with comfort working at the intersection of field operations, engineering, and regulatory compliance.
LOCATION: Boulder, CO
ABOUT FLAGSHIP PIONEERING:
Flagship Pioneering invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health, sustainability and beyond. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated more than 100 companies. Many of these companies have addressed humanity's most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture.
Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE's "Change the World" list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies and has been twice named to Fast Company's annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies.
At Flagship, we accept impossible missions to enable bigger leaps. Our core values guide us through uncertainty and toward lasting impact.
We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We recognize that great candidates often bring unique strengths without fulfilling every qualification. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your background and interest in Flagship.
Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Flagship Pioneering and its affiliated Flagship Lab companies (collectively, "FSP") do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to FSP or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneering's internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of FSP, and FSP will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.
The salary range for this role is $115,000 - $150,000. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. FL112 currently offers healthcare coverage, annual incentive program, retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on FL112's good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.
Privacy Notice for Applicants: When you apply for a role at Flagship Pioneering or one of its portfolio companies, we collect and use personal information you provide (such as your name, contact details, work history, and application materials) to evaluate your application, communicate with you, and comply with legal obligations. Your application data is processed through Greenhouse, our applicant tracking system, and may also be reviewed using AI-assisted screening tools. We do not sell your personal information. California residents have rights under the CCPA/CPRA including to know, delete, and opt out of the sharing of their personal information. If you are located in the EU or UK, we process your data under GDPR and you have rights to access, rectify, and erase your data. To exercise your rights or for questions, contact privacy@flagshippioneering.com.
COMPANY DESCRIPTION
Flagship Pioneering is a platform innovation company that invents and builds companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capital to allow them to take courageous leaps. Those big leaps in human health, sustainability and beyond exponentially accelerate scientific progress in areas ranging from disease detection and treatment and nature-positive agriculture to novel applications of AI that are driving the creation of new technologies.
What sets Flagship apart is our ability to advance science and technology by uniting innovation, company creation, and capital investment under one roof in a way that is largely without precedent. Our scientific founders, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and transform for the benefit of people and planet.
Many of the companies Flagship has founded have addressed humanity's most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture.
Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE's "Change the World" list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies and has been twice named to Fast Company's annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies.
THE ROLE
We are seeking a UAS Flight Operations Engineer II to join our growing hardware team. This is a field-oriented role for someone who thrives in the operational reality of long-range UAV missions — planning and executing BVLOS flights, managing regulatory compliance, and ensuring safe, mission-ready operations in demanding environments. You will lead the operational framework for our fixed-wing UAV platform: from waiver strategy and airspace coordination to real-time mission monitoring and post-flight analysis. You will work alongside a small, highly technical team, bridging the gap between engineering development and field execution as we scale from early prototype flights to hardened, field-proven operations in complex international environments.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead BVLOS operations planning and flight test execution, including waiver compliance, pre-flight risk assessment, and real-time mission monitoring;
- Lead flight testing of a custom fixed-wing airframe, from first flight and envelope expansion through iterative design validation with the engineering team;
- Own the FAA Part 107 waiver strategy, COA applications, and international UAS regulatory compliance across operating environments;
- Develop and maintain standardized operating procedures, pre-flight checklists, and emergency response protocols for field campaigns;
- Serve as primary pilot-in-command and/or flight test director for fixed-wing UAV missions, including manual RC proficiency during test and contingency operations;
- Analyze flight logs (MAVExplorer, Flight Review) to diagnose anomalies and drive iterative improvements to mission reliability and safety margins;
- Coordinate with meteorological resources and integrate atmospheric sensing data to support mission go/no-go decision-making;
- Collaborate with science and field teams to validate mission profiles, sensor data quality, and operational success criteria;
- Manage ground control station operations, C2 link monitoring, and spectrum compliance during live missions;
- Document flight operations, incident reports, and lessons learned to build a scalable operational knowledge base for the drone program.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in aerospace engineering, aviation, atmospheric science, or a closely related field; equivalent operational experience will be considered.
- BA/BS + 5 years of experience or MS + 3 years of experience with at least 2 years of hands-on UAV flight operations experience with fixed-wing platforms in real-mission or production contexts
- FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate required; demonstrated experience with BVLOS waivers, COA applications, or international UAS regulatory frameworks is strongly preferred;
- Experience operating ArduPilot-based autopilot systems, including mission scripting, failsafe configuration, and GCS software (Mission Planner, QGroundControl);
- Practical fixed-wing airframe flight experience, including manual RC aircraft proficiency and understanding of in-flight anomaly recognition;
- Familiarity with RF link monitoring, C2 spectrum compliance, and antenna management for long-range UAV operations;
- Experience with atmospheric sensing, meteorology, or operational weather forecasting is a strong plus;
- Experience supporting field campaigns or flight tests in remote or international environments is highly valued;
- Strong documentation habits: flight logs, incident reports, SOPs, and post-mission summaries suitable for regulatory review and program scaling;
- Genuine passion for operating novel aerial platforms in service of real-world scientific or environmental missions, with comfort working at the intersection of field operations, engineering, and regulatory compliance.
LOCATION: Boulder, CO
ABOUT FLAGSHIP PIONEERING:
Flagship Pioneering invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health, sustainability and beyond. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated more than 100 companies. Many of these companies have addressed humanity's most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture.
Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE's "Change the World" list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies and has been twice named to Fast Company's annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies.
At Flagship, we accept impossible missions to enable bigger leaps. Our core values guide us through uncertainty and toward lasting impact.
We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We recognize that great candidates often bring unique strengths without fulfilling every qualification. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your background and interest in Flagship.
Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Flagship Pioneering and its affiliated Flagship Lab companies (collectively, "FSP") do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to FSP or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneering's internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of FSP, and FSP will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.
The salary range for this role is $115,000 - $150,000. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. FL112 currently offers healthcare coverage, annual incentive program, retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on FL112's good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.
Privacy Notice for Applicants: When you apply for a role at Flagship Pioneering or one of its portfolio companies, we collect and use personal information you provide (such as your name, contact details, work history, and application materials) to evaluate your application, communicate with you, and comply with legal obligations. Your application data is processed through Greenhouse, our applicant tracking system, and may also be reviewed using AI-assisted screening tools. We do not sell your personal information. California residents have rights under the CCPA/CPRA including to know, delete, and opt out of the sharing of their personal information. If you are located in the EU or UK, we process your data under GDPR and you have rights to access, rectify, and erase your data. To exercise your rights or for questions, contact privacy@flagshippioneering.com.
See all Green Card Flight Test Engineer Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Green Card Sponsorship as a Flight Test Engineer
Document your flight-test credentials precisely
PERM requires your employer to list your exact education and experience requirements in the labor certification. Gather degree transcripts, test flight logs, and any certifications tied to specific aircraft programs before the process starts.
Target employers with active PERM filings
Search DOL OFLC disclosure data for companies that have filed PERM applications under SOC code 17-2011 (Aerospace Engineers). Defense primes and MRO operators file regularly and already have established green card workflows for engineering staff.
Search green card sponsoring jobs on Migrate Mate
Filter by Flight Test Engineer roles where employers have confirmed green card sponsorship history. Migrate Mate surfaces EB-2 and EB-3 opportunities so you spend time pursuing employers already set up to file, not educating recruiters from scratch.
Verify your role meets specialty occupation standards
USCIS requires that a bachelor's degree in a specific technical field is a normal minimum for entry into your position. Flight test roles tied to experimental flight programs or DO-178C software validation are stronger candidates than generalist engineering titles.
Clarify prevailing wage tier before accepting an offer
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the DOL prevailing wage for your SOC code and work location. Your offered salary must meet or exceed the certified wage level, and mismatches at the offer stage can delay or derail PERM filing.
Understand the EB-2 versus EB-3 classification decision
If your role requires only a bachelor's degree, most employers will file under EB-3. If you hold a master's degree or your position requires an advanced degree by standard industry practice, push your employer to evaluate EB-2, which can reduce priority date wait times for some nationalities.
Green Card Flight Test Engineer: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Flight Test Engineer role qualify for EB-2 or EB-3 sponsorship?
Both categories are available depending on the position's stated requirements. EB-3 applies when the role requires a bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, or a related engineering field. EB-2 applies when the position normally requires an advanced degree or when you hold a master's and the employer documents that requirement. The PERM labor certification locks in which category applies based on the job description filed with DOL.
How does green card sponsorship differ from H-1B sponsorship for this role?
H-1B visa is temporary, capped at 85,000 per year, and subject to a lottery for most applicants. Green card sponsorship through EB-2 or EB-3 is permanent, has no annual lottery, and leads directly to lawful permanent residency. The tradeoff is time: PERM labor certification alone typically takes six to eighteen months before the I-140 petition is even filed, making early employer conversations critical.
Which employers regularly sponsor green cards for Flight Test Engineers?
Defense contractors with active flight test programs, commercial aircraft manufacturers, and MRO operators with experimental operations units are the most consistent sponsors. These employers already maintain immigration infrastructure and file PERM applications on a recurring basis for engineering roles. You can identify them by searching DOL OFLC disclosure data filtered to aerospace engineering SOC codes.
How can I find Flight Test Engineer jobs that offer green card sponsorship?
Use Migrate Mate to filter Flight Test Engineer openings by employers with confirmed EB-2 or EB-3 sponsorship history. Most general job boards don't distinguish between employers willing to sponsor H-1B only versus those set up for full green card filing, so targeting sponsorship-confirmed listings saves significant time in your search.
What documentation should I prepare before a PERM-sponsored job offer?
Pull together official transcripts, a detailed work history covering all flight test experience, and any program-specific credentials such as test pilot school certificates or aircraft type qualifications. Your employer's immigration attorney will need to establish that your background meets the exact minimum requirements stated in the PERM application, so ambiguous or informal experience records create delays. O*NET can help you map your duties to the occupation's standard requirements.