H-1B Visa Flight Test Engineer Jobs
Flight Test Engineer roles qualify as H-1B specialty occupations under USCIS standards, requiring at least a bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering. Defense contractors, commercial aviation firms, and aerospace OEMs are among the most active H-1B sponsors for this title, with petitions filed under SOC code 17-2011.
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We are seeking a full-time Flight Test Engineer 2 at Garmin's U.S. headquarters in the Greater Kansas City area at our hangar in New Century, KS. In this role, you will be responsible for performing moderately complex flight-testing activities including developing ground and flight test plans, coordinating, and executing flight tests, documenting results and ensuring resolution to issues identified during flight testing.
Responsibilities:
Essential Functions:
- Drafts ground/flight test plans and reports for moderately complex test programs derived from previous programs
- Coordinates and executes moderately complex flight tests as part of a flight test crew, including acting as test director
- Defines, documents, and maintains moderately complex test aircraft and equipment configurations, and coordinates with engineering teams
- Operates flight test tools, conducts real time data analysis, and post processes flight test data
- Identifies root cause and verifies that issues identified during flight test are resolved
- Prepares moderately complex avionics system installation data for test aircraft
- Leverages basic understanding of certification process and associated regulations in performance of role
- Offers suggestions to improve processes and the safety of the flight test organization
- Provides reliable solutions to a variety of problems using sound problem solving techniques and applies a sense of urgency, commitment and focus on the right priorities in developing solutions in a timely fashion
- Serves as a mentor to less experienced flight test engineers (Flight Test Engineer 1)
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or Computer Engineering AND a minimum of 1 year relevant experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Demonstrates proficient use of engineering and flight test tools
- Demonstrates basic understanding of certification processes and associated regulations
- Demonstrates strong and effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
- Must demonstrate the capability to perform advanced troubleshooting skills on moderately complex avionics installations
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Private pilot license with instrument rating
- Commercial pilot and/or multi-engine license preferred
- Previous experience using general aviation products
- Experience with revision control tools, mobile application development, audio/video recording tools, or database tools
Garmin International is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran’s status, age or disability.
This position is eligible for Garmin's benefit program. Details can be found here: Garmin Benefits
Overview:
We are seeking a full-time Flight Test Engineer 2 at Garmin's U.S. headquarters in the Greater Kansas City area at our hangar in New Century, KS. In this role, you will be responsible for performing moderately complex flight-testing activities including developing ground and flight test plans, coordinating, and executing flight tests, documenting results and ensuring resolution to issues identified during flight testing.
Responsibilities:
Essential Functions:
- Drafts ground/flight test plans and reports for moderately complex test programs derived from previous programs
- Coordinates and executes moderately complex flight tests as part of a flight test crew, including acting as test director
- Defines, documents, and maintains moderately complex test aircraft and equipment configurations, and coordinates with engineering teams
- Operates flight test tools, conducts real time data analysis, and post processes flight test data
- Identifies root cause and verifies that issues identified during flight test are resolved
- Prepares moderately complex avionics system installation data for test aircraft
- Leverages basic understanding of certification process and associated regulations in performance of role
- Offers suggestions to improve processes and the safety of the flight test organization
- Provides reliable solutions to a variety of problems using sound problem solving techniques and applies a sense of urgency, commitment and focus on the right priorities in developing solutions in a timely fashion
- Serves as a mentor to less experienced flight test engineers (Flight Test Engineer 1)
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or Computer Engineering AND a minimum of 1 year relevant experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Demonstrates proficient use of engineering and flight test tools
- Demonstrates basic understanding of certification processes and associated regulations
- Demonstrates strong and effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
- Must demonstrate the capability to perform advanced troubleshooting skills on moderately complex avionics installations
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Private pilot license with instrument rating
- Commercial pilot and/or multi-engine license preferred
- Previous experience using general aviation products
- Experience with revision control tools, mobile application development, audio/video recording tools, or database tools
Garmin International is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran’s status, age or disability.
This position is eligible for Garmin's benefit program. Details can be found here: Garmin Benefits
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as a Flight Test Engineer
Verify your degree matches specialty occupation
USCIS requires your degree field to directly relate to flight test engineering. An aerospace or mechanical engineering degree is a clean match. An unrelated bachelor's weakens the petition, so gather transcripts and a credential evaluation before applying.
Target defense contractors with ITAR clearance pipelines
Many flight test roles sit inside ITAR-controlled programs. Filter your search to employers who have sponsored H-1B workers in aerospace engineering roles and who actively support security clearance sponsorship for non-citizens.
Search verified H-1B sponsors on Migrate Mate
Use Migrate Mate to filter Flight Test Engineer openings by employers with confirmed H-1B LCA filing history. This cuts out postings from companies that list the role but have never actually sponsored a visa.
Check prevailing wage level using OFLC Wage Search
Flight test engineering wages vary sharply by location and experience level. Run the OFLC Wage Search for SOC 17-2011 in your work site's metropolitan area before negotiating salary, so your offered wage meets the DOL Level I through IV threshold.
Clarify which entity files when joining a contractor
Defense primes often place flight test engineers at government facilities through subcontractors. Confirm which legal entity will be your H-1B petitioner and whether that entity has cap-exempt status before accepting an offer.
Flight Test Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Flight Test Engineer JobsFlight Test Engineer H-1B Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Flight Test Engineer role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes. Flight test engineering requires at minimum a bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering, which satisfies USCIS's specialty occupation standard. The role maps to SOC code 17-2011 and appears in O*NET as requiring a Job Zone 4 or 5 education level. Your employer confirms the degree requirement in the Labor Condition Application filed with DOL.
Which types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for Flight Test Engineers?
Defense contractors, commercial aircraft manufacturers, maintenance and repair organizations, and aerospace systems integrators are the primary sponsors. These employers file LCAs with DOL before petitioning USCIS. You can identify which specific employers have active H-1B filing history for engineering roles by searching on Migrate Mate, which surfaces DOL disclosure data by occupation.
Does holding a security clearance affect my H-1B petition as a Flight Test Engineer?
Your H-1B petition itself is separate from security clearance eligibility. USCIS approves the petition based on specialty occupation and degree requirements alone. However, many flight test programs operate under ITAR or require a clearance, and some employers will not sponsor clearances for non-permanent residents. Confirm the employer's clearance sponsorship policy before accepting an offer.
Can a Flight Test Engineer role at a government facility qualify for cap-exempt H-1B status?
Only if the petitioning employer itself qualifies as a cap-exempt institution, such as a nonprofit affiliated with a university or a government research organization. Working at a government facility as a contractor placed by a cap-subject staffing firm does not confer cap-exempt status. Confirm your direct employer's classification with USCIS standards before assuming cap exemption applies.
How does the H-1B prevailing wage requirement work for Flight Test Engineers?
Your employer must pay at least the DOL prevailing wage for your role, location, and experience level. Prevailing wages for SOC 17-2011 are published in four levels through the OFLC Wage Search. Entry-level positions typically map to Level I or II, while senior flight test roles with specialized certification requirements may justify Level III or IV filings, which also reduces RFE risk on the specialty occupation determination.
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