Flight Test Director

Salary Range: 85000 to 130000 (Currency: USD) (Pay period: per-year-salary)

Key Responsibilies

• Support the physical, electrical and environmental testing of materials, components, sub-assemblies, and full product assemblies. Including performing benchmark testing of both COTS and Orb designed components.


• Create strategies that support product testing and selection from the component to final product level.  


• Create and execute test campaigns in accordance with the development timelines of Orb’s different product lines. Including creating test plans, test cards, and writing formal test reports. 


• Lead or participate in system, subsystem and vehicle-level FMEA. 


• When needed, act as a remote Pilot in Command to fly prototype air vehicles to collect and quantify aircraft performance. (Including but not limited to, airframe and flight envelope limitations, autonomy and flight control functionality, and communication/EW Resiliency) 


• When required, design and fabricate experimental apparatuses and/or fixtures to collect experimental data. 


• Write technical documents, drawings, and test reports along with associated specs to ensure a repeatable and sustainable testing program. 


• Work cross functionally with multiple engineering disciplines across the Orb product development teams to stay aligned on both product and part key performance parameters.  


• Stay up to date with latest industry testing standards and implement them where appropriate.


• Participate in the hiring process including recruiting and interviewing employees for Orb’s future test engineering team. 


• Mentor incoming engineers to build a strong culture of leadership and engineering excellence. 

Desired Skills and Qualifications

• Part 107 qualified and confident in piloting multi-copters and/or fixed-wing UAVs. 
• Familiarity with experimental design, statistical methods, technical writing, and presentation of test results in report format. 
• Hands on experience with instrumentation and data acquisition. 
• Ability to fabricate, tools, fixtures, and apparatus using a wide variety of tools (power and manual). 
• Familiarity with a variety of sensors including accelerometers, tachometers, strain gauges, and force transducers. 
• A strong background in systems, electrical, mechanical, and/or aerospace engineering. 
• Experience with material and environmental testing, supported by familiarity with performing different industry testing standards (such as ASTM, FAA, IEEE, NASA, etc.) 
• Experience using Siemens NX or Similar CAD Package 
• Experience in aircraft, spacecraft, consumer electronic, and/or robotics-based product development.