H-1B Visa Flight Test Engineer Jobs
Flight Test Engineer roles qualify as H-1B visa 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 visa sponsors for this title, with petitions filed under SOC code 17-2011.
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Get Access To All JobsASRC Federal is a leading government contractor furthering missions in space, public health and defense. As an Alaska Native owned corporation, our work helps secure an enduring future for our shareholders. Join our team and discover why we are a top veteran employer and Certified Great Place to Work™.
ASRC Federal System Solutions (AFSS) is hiring an ORION Flight Operations Test Engineer at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Mission Control Center (MCC), in Houston, TX. Must be willing to travel to Denver, CO as required.
Role/Responsibilities:
- You will be supporting ground and mission system integration and the operation support for mission preparations, readiness and execution from the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Mission Control Center (MCC) in Houston, TX.
- You are a Specialty Engineer in Systems/Subsystems Integration and Test with human spaceflight mission operations experience to support Exploration Missions 1 and 2 (EM‐1 & EM‐2). Ability to integrate subsystem HW and SW functionality to support development of the Operations Data Book, Flight Operations Procedures, and the Stowage Capabilities and Services Handbook product deliverables.
- Normal working hours will be a 9/80 work schedule: 1st shift Monday‐Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with every other Friday off. Resources will be expected to adjust their schedule accordingly to support off‐shifts and weekend activities as needed. Assume 10% OT of ST hours.
- Senior level engineering function that researches, develops, designs, and tests within, but not limited to the following functional disciplines: electrical components; mechanical products and systems such as instruments, controls, robots, engines, machines and mechanical, thermal hydraulic or heat transfer systems for production, transmission, measurement, and use of energy; software development activities, software inspection, testing, verification and validation; technical planning, system integration, verification and validation, cost and risk, and supportability and effectiveness analyses for total systems; information technology related responsibilities including design, development, and analysis of computer systems or programs based on and related to user or system design specifications; layout for such processes as hardening, washing, laminating, etching, engraving, polishing, painting, plating, and other material-processing operations; mechanical analyses, such as Stress, Finite Element, and Vibration/Dynamic; conducts multidisciplinary research and collaborates with circuit designers and/or product line engineers in the design, development, and utilization of software to simulate the characteristics and parameters of integrated systems (IS) components, modules, or complete products under operating environment.
Requirements
- Bachelors degree from an accredited college in a related discipline and 5-7 years of experience or equivalent experience.
AFSS brings a 14-year history of delivering high-performance space systems engineering, integration and satellite operations services to civil and defense agencies.
AFSS provides these services throughout all phases of the program life cycle and across the entire space systems architecture, including space and ground assets.
We invest in the lives of our employees, both in and out of the workplace, by providing competitive pay and benefits packages. Benefits offered may include health care, dental, vision, life insurance; 401(k); education assistance; paid time off including PTO, holidays, and any other paid leave required by law. The salary offered will depend on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills, education, geographic location, internal equity, business needs, and other factors permitted by law. Posted pay ranges are a general guideline only and are not a guarantee of compensation or salary.
ASRC Federal and its Subsidiaries are Equal Opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, gender, color, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, national origin, religion, marital status, ancestry, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, or any other factor prohibited by applicable law.
ASRC Federal is a leading government contractor furthering missions in space, public health and defense. As an Alaska Native owned corporation, our work helps secure an enduring future for our shareholders. Join our team and discover why we are a top veteran employer and Certified Great Place to Work™.
ASRC Federal System Solutions (AFSS) is hiring an ORION Flight Operations Test Engineer at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Mission Control Center (MCC), in Houston, TX. Must be willing to travel to Denver, CO as required.
Role/Responsibilities:
- You will be supporting ground and mission system integration and the operation support for mission preparations, readiness and execution from the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Mission Control Center (MCC) in Houston, TX.
- You are a Specialty Engineer in Systems/Subsystems Integration and Test with human spaceflight mission operations experience to support Exploration Missions 1 and 2 (EM‐1 & EM‐2). Ability to integrate subsystem HW and SW functionality to support development of the Operations Data Book, Flight Operations Procedures, and the Stowage Capabilities and Services Handbook product deliverables.
- Normal working hours will be a 9/80 work schedule: 1st shift Monday‐Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with every other Friday off. Resources will be expected to adjust their schedule accordingly to support off‐shifts and weekend activities as needed. Assume 10% OT of ST hours.
- Senior level engineering function that researches, develops, designs, and tests within, but not limited to the following functional disciplines: electrical components; mechanical products and systems such as instruments, controls, robots, engines, machines and mechanical, thermal hydraulic or heat transfer systems for production, transmission, measurement, and use of energy; software development activities, software inspection, testing, verification and validation; technical planning, system integration, verification and validation, cost and risk, and supportability and effectiveness analyses for total systems; information technology related responsibilities including design, development, and analysis of computer systems or programs based on and related to user or system design specifications; layout for such processes as hardening, washing, laminating, etching, engraving, polishing, painting, plating, and other material-processing operations; mechanical analyses, such as Stress, Finite Element, and Vibration/Dynamic; conducts multidisciplinary research and collaborates with circuit designers and/or product line engineers in the design, development, and utilization of software to simulate the characteristics and parameters of integrated systems (IS) components, modules, or complete products under operating environment.
Requirements
- Bachelors degree from an accredited college in a related discipline and 5-7 years of experience or equivalent experience.
AFSS brings a 14-year history of delivering high-performance space systems engineering, integration and satellite operations services to civil and defense agencies.
AFSS provides these services throughout all phases of the program life cycle and across the entire space systems architecture, including space and ground assets.
We invest in the lives of our employees, both in and out of the workplace, by providing competitive pay and benefits packages. Benefits offered may include health care, dental, vision, life insurance; 401(k); education assistance; paid time off including PTO, holidays, and any other paid leave required by law. The salary offered will depend on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills, education, geographic location, internal equity, business needs, and other factors permitted by law. Posted pay ranges are a general guideline only and are not a guarantee of compensation or salary.
ASRC Federal and its Subsidiaries are Equal Opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, gender, color, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, national origin, religion, marital status, ancestry, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, or any other factor prohibited by applicable law.
See all H-1B Visa Flight Test Engineer Jobs
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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.
Negotiate petition filing before your OPT expires
If you're on OPT, your employer must file your H-1B petition by April 1 for an October 1 start. Confirm the employer's internal HR timeline at the offer stage, not after signing, to avoid missing the cap-subject window.
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.
H-1B Visa Flight Test Engineer: 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.