Lead Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Rhode Island

At REGENT, we’re on a mission to revolutionize regional transportation between coastal cities. We're not just building vehicles, we're creating a new category of transportation: the seaglider. These groundbreaking wing-in-ground-effect craft travel just above the water’s surface, combining the speed of an airplane with the low operating costs of a boat. Capable of 180 miles at 180 mph on today's battery tech (and up to 400 miles with next-gen batteries), seagliders will unlock fast, affordable, and sustainable coastal transit for passengers and cargo - connecting cities, islands, and communities like never before.

Backed by leading investors and powered by a team of passionate, forward-thinking engineers, builders, and operators, we’re now scaling from a breakthrough prototype to full production - and building the team to make it happen.

Role Overview

As a Lead Vehicle Test Engineer, you’ll own the planning and execution of REGENT’s sea and air test programs for our foiling, wing-in-ground-effect seagliders—turning engineering objectives into safe, rigorous, repeatable test operations. You’ll sit at the intersection of engineering, operations, and safety, building phased test campaigns that reduce risk, expand the envelope, and generate the data needed to mature prototypes into reliable, certifiable transportation systems.

As part of the Vehicle Test team, you’ll be joining a group of driven, collaborative, and talented engineers who take pride in solving complex technical challenges and making an impact as a team. We hold a high bar for engineering rigor, move quickly, think boldly, and rely on our teamwork to push boundaries and bring entirely new technology into the world.

If you thrive in hands-on, high-performance test environments and are motivated by building something fundamentally new in transportation, you’ll be in the right place — and we’d be thrilled to have you on the team!

• Plan and execute test campaigns across sea and air testing—designing phased programs from early on-water trials through flight test and certification-support activities.
• Develop risk-informed test plans and procedures (test cards, checklists, envelope expansion plans) that systematically reduce risk while advancing capability and performance.
• Translate engineering requirements into executable tests by partnering with design, loads, controls, structures, and systems to define objectives, success criteria, instrumentation needs, and constraints.
• Own test readiness and event coordination, ensuring vehicle configuration, personnel, supporting assets, infrastructure, and test environment are aligned for safe execution.
• Lead and contribute to hazard assessments and safety reviews, identifying hazards, implementing mitigations, and communicating go/no-go logic in high-consequence environments.
• Support real-time and post-test analysis, monitoring key telemetry during events, capturing anomalies, and producing clear post-test reports that drive decisions and next-step planning.

What You'll Bring

• Experience in vehicle, marine, flight, or integrated prototype testing (aerospace, maritime, automotive, or advanced mobility), with ownership of test events end-to-end.
• Proven ability to build structured test plans (phased campaigns, test readiness criteria, configuration control, and disciplined documentation) in fast-moving development programs.
• Strong safety mindset and experience with hazard analysis / risk management (e.g., hazard logs, operational risk assessments, TRRs, safety/airworthiness reviews).
• Hands-on comfort in the field: working around vehicles, boats, aircraft, high voltage, propulsion systems, or other high-energy systems—calm, decisive, and methodical under pressure.
• Ability to communicate clearly across technical and non-technical audiences—confident presenting at reviews and aligning cross-functional teams around plan, risk, and execution.
• Experience leveraging test data for decision-making (telemetry review, anomaly triage, post-test reporting); familiarity with instrumentation and data systems is a plus.

Who We're Looking For

• Collaborative Team Player: You believe that great things happen when teams work together. You communicate effectively and collaborate with engineers, stakeholders, and other cross-functional teams to align on goals and move projects forward. You bring people together, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and moving towards a shared vision.
• Creative Problem Solver: You thrive on tackling complex challenges and finding innovative solutions. You don't just patch issues - you improve processes, anticipate downstream impacts, and help turn one-off fixes into scalable solutions that raise the bar for future builds.
• Adaptable & Agile: In a fast-paced, ever-evolving startup environment, you quickly adapt to changing priorities and requirements. You approach challenges with a calm, resilient mindset, and know how to pivot and adjust your approach as needed, ensuring that progress continues without missing a beat.
• Innovative Mindset: You’re driven by curiosity and a passion for technology. You’re passionate about driving continuous improvement, embracing new technologies and methodologies to enhance efficiency, quality, and team performance.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation including a robust equity incentive plan.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance - we cover 100% of your premiums.
• 401(k) with company matching, so you can plan for the future.
• Generous flexible time off, paid parental leave, and company-wide holiday breaks.
• Relocation packages available for those moving to join our team.
• Daily, free catered lunches.
• Learning & professional development opportunities.

If you’re ready to take on an exciting challenge, grow with us, and make a lasting impact, we want to hear from you. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, but you see yourself contributing to our mission, we encourage you to apply! We value diverse skillsets and experiences and believe in the potential of passionate individuals to make a big impact.

Equal Opportunity Employer

REGENT is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.