We are seeking experienced Flight Test Engineers to assemble, certify, and fly groups 1 to 4 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). You will play a crucial role in the planning, execution, and analysis of flight tests for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). You will work with cross-functional teams to develop test plans, conduct flight tests, and ensure that UAV systems meet performance, safety, and reliability standards. This position requires a strong background in aerospace engineering, a deep understanding of UAV systems, and experience in flight testing. 

Zone 5 maintains a weekly flight test cadence at test ranges local to the San Luis Obispo, CA area. In addition, there will be occasional flight test demonstration events at both CONUS and OCONUS locations that will require travel to support. Flight testing requires significant time spent outdoors in various weather conditions.

Responsibilities:

Test Planning and Coordination:

• Develop detailed flight test plans, including objectives, methodologies, safety protocols, and resource requirements. 
• Collaborate with design engineers, systems engineers, and software developers to define test requirements and procedures.
• Coordinate with regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with all relevant aviation regulations and standards.

Flight Test Execution:

• Conduct pre-flight inspections and system checks to ensure the readiness of UAVs for testing.
• Lead or participate in the execution of flight tests, including piloting UAVs remotely if required.
• Monitor and analyze flight data in real-time to ensure the achievement of test objectives.
• Troubleshoot issues that arise during testing and implement corrective actions.

Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Collect, analyze, and interpret flight test data to assess the performance of UAV systems.
• Prepare comprehensive test reports documenting results, findings, and recommendations for design improvements.
• Present findings to engineering teams, management, and external stakeholders.

Safety and Risk Management:

• Implement and enforce safety protocols during all phases of flight testing.
• Conduct risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies to ensure safe operations.
• Lead post-test debriefs to identify lessons learned and incorporate them into future testing.

Continuous Improvement:

• Contribute to the development and refinement of test methodologies and procedures. 
• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in UAV flight testing.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance to team members.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. 
• 5-8 years of experience in aerospace engineering, with at least 3-5 years in UAV flight testing or a closely related field.
• Part 107 pilot preferred.
• Proven experience in planning and conducting flight tests for unmanned systems.
• Experience with data acquisition systems, telemetry, and flight control systems.

Skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in flight test software and simulation tools.
• Knowledge of FAA regulations and airworthiness standards for UAVs.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. 

Work Environment:

• Primarily office-based with significant time spent at test sites
• May include environments in hot, cold, and/or wet conditions.
• May involve travel to various test locations and working in outdoor environments under various weather conditions. 

Pay Range by Level:

Level III - $125,000 - $151,000

Level IV - $151,000 - $184,000

We are seeking senior Flight Test Engineers to assemble, certify, and fly groups 1 to 4 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). You will play a crucial role in the planning, execution, and analysis of flight tests for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). You will work with cross-functional teams to develop test plans, conduct flight tests, and ensure that UAV systems meet performance, safety, and reliability standards. This position requires a strong background in aerospace engineering, a deep understanding of UAV systems, and experience in flight testing. 

Zone 5 maintains a weekly flight test cadence at test ranges local to the San Luis Obispo, CA area. In addition, there will be occasional flight test demonstration events at both CONUS and OCONUS locations that will require travel to support. Flight testing requires significant time spent outdoors in various weather conditions.

Responsibilities:

Test Planning and Coordination:

• Develop detailed flight test plans, including objectives, methodologies, safety protocols, and resource requirements. 
• Collaborate with design engineers, systems engineers, and software developers to define test requirements and procedures.
• Coordinate with regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with all relevant aviation regulations and standards.

Flight Test Execution:

• Conduct pre-flight inspections and system checks to ensure the readiness of UAVs for testing.
• Lead or participate in the execution of flight tests, including piloting UAVs remotely if required.
• Monitor and analyze flight data in real-time to ensure the achievement of test objectives.
• Troubleshoot issues that arise during testing and implement corrective actions.

Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Collect, analyze, and interpret flight test data to assess the performance of UAV systems.
• Prepare comprehensive test reports documenting results, findings, and recommendations for design improvements.
• Present findings to engineering teams, management, and external stakeholders.

Safety and Risk Management:

• Implement and enforce safety protocols during all phases of flight testing.
• Conduct risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies to ensure safe operations.
• Lead post-test debriefs to identify lessons learned and incorporate them into future testing.

Continuous Improvement:

• Contribute to the development and refinement of test methodologies and procedures. 
• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in UAV flight testing.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance to team members.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. 
• 7-10 years of experience in aerospace engineering, with at least 5 years in UAV flight testing or a closely related field.
• Part 107 pilot preferred.
• Proven experience in planning and conducting flight tests for unmanned systems.
• Experience with data acquisition systems, telemetry, and flight control systems.

Skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in flight test software and simulation tools.
• Knowledge of FAA regulations and airworthiness standards for UAVs.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. 

Work Environment:

• Office based with the ability and willingness to travel up to 50%
• May include environments in hot, cold, and/or wet conditions.
• May involve travel to various test locations and working in outdoor environments under various weather conditions. 

Pay Range by Level - 

Level V - $184,000 - $204,000

Level VI - $204,000 - $269,000

#LI-MD1

As our programs scale, so does the need for disciplined, repeatable developmental testing. We are seeking a Developmental Test Engineering Manager to lead and grow this capability across multiple programs.

About the Job

Zone 5 Technologies is seeking an experienced Developmental Test Engineering Manager to lead our developmental test organization supporting advanced counter-UAS and missile systems for U.S. Department of Defense programs.

This role blends technical depth with people leadership and organizational ownership. The Developmental Test Engineering Manager is responsible for ensuring test activities mature designs, mitigate risk, and generate high-quality data that informs qualification and design integration of our products.

Key Responsibilities:

· Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Developmental Test Engineers and technicians across multiple programs.

· Own the developmental test strategy, ensuring appropriate coverage across structural, dynamic, functional, and environmental domains.

· Establish and maintain standards for test planning, procedure quality, execution discipline, data integrity, and reporting.

· Review and approve test plans, procedures, and results to ensure technical rigor, safety, and alignment with program objectives.

· Partner with design and systems engineering to translate requirements, risks, and anomalies into executable test campaigns.

· Oversee qualification and compliance testing activities in accordance with applicable military and industry standards.

· Manage relationships with external test facilities and vendors to ensure schedule alignment and test fidelity.

· Ensure test infrastructure, tooling, instrumentation, and automation capabilities evolve to meet program needs.

· Communicate test status, findings, and residual risk clearly to engineering leadership and program stakeholders.

· Balance technical rigor, schedule pressure, and resource constraints through sound engineering judgment.

· Manage staffing, hiring, and workload forecasting to support both near-term execution and long-term capability growth.

· Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement within the test organization.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

· 8+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or high-reliability systems engineering, with significant experience in developmental testing.

· Demonstrated experience leading engineers or technical teams in test, verification, or qualification environments.

· Strong working knowledge of MIL-STD-810 and related qualification standards; familiarity with EMI/EMC testing is preferred.

· Proven ability to assess system-level risk and translate it into effective test strategies.

· Comfortable reviewing detailed technical work and making decisions without being the primary test operator.

· Experience supporting DoD RDT&E programs, missile systems, guided munitions, or small UAS platforms is highly desirable.

· Clear communicator capable of conveying technical findings and tradeoffs to diverse stakeholders.

· Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, or a related field (advanced degree preferred).

Role Summary

At Zone 5 Technologies, Systems Integration & Test Engineers support the development and execution of Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) environments, as well as the integration, bring-up, and validation of new technologies and features.

This role is hands-on and execution-focused, operating within a collaborative cross-functional team to mature, integrate, test, and troubleshoot avionics, systems, and subsystems prior to production.

Mid-level engineers in this role independently develop & execute integration and HITL test environments, own subsystem-level integration efforts, and play a key role in validating hardware and software prior to testing.  This position balances hands-on engineering with increasing technical ownership and responsibility.

Responsibilities

HITL Development & Ownership

• Develop and maintain flight-representative HITL rigs
• Integrate avionics, sensors, and control systems into test environments
• Develop scripts/tools for simulation-driven testing
• Lead feature validation and signal verification activities

Model-Based Development (Software)

• Develop and maintain MATLAB/Simulink models for system validation
• Support code generation and embedded integration
• Validate control logic and system performance

Avionics Integration (Avionics)

• Design wiring harnesses and signal routing architectures
• Validate communication protocols (CAN, Ethernet, UART)
• Perform signal integrity and timing analysis

Mechanical Integration (Mechanical)

• Design packaging solutions considering SWaP constraints
• Support thermal management and environmental validation
• Develop integration hardware and mounting solutions

Ground Testing & Flight Support

• Execute and lead integration test procedures
• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve integration issues
• Support flight test campaigns and on-aircraft validation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant engineering field
• 3–8+ years of experience in aerospace integration/test
• Strong understanding of embedded systems and avionics architectures
• Experience working independently in lab/test environments

Preferred

• SIL / HIL experience
• Flight test support experience
• Configuration management experience
• UAV/autopilot integration experience

Leveling Signals

• Works independently on well-defined problems
• Owns subsystems or test environments
• Mentors junior engineers
• Contributes to system-level decisions

Pay Range

Level III - $129k - $149k

Level IV - $150k - $170k

At Zone 5 Technologies, we rapidly develop and field advanced unmanned aircraft systems through disciplined integration, testing, and block upgrade strategies.  We are seeking a Systems Integration & Test Manager to architect and lead a cross-disciplinary engineering team responsible for Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) integration, configuration control, and structured feature validation prior to flight.

This role will build the technical and procedural backbone that allows software, avionics, mechanical, and environmental subsystems to integrate predictably and transition cleanly into aircraft production.

Responsibilities

HITL Architecture & Integration Environment

• Architect and maintain a flight-representative HITL environment
• Define hardware and software integration standards
• Ensure coexistence between hardware platforms and software feature development
• Establish component-level integration workflows (e.g., radar altimeter, avionics modules)
• Validate signals, timing, interfaces, compatibility and performance prior to aircraft installation

Feature On-Ramp & Block Upgrade Strategy

• Define readiness criteria for transitioning features from HITL to aircraft
• Develop structured ground test campaigns
• Create block upgrade roadmaps for production aircraft
• Coordinate with software and flight test leadership for release planning

Configuration Control & Systems Engineering

• Establish configuration management processes for HITL and aircraft baselines
• Control hardware revisions, firmware versions, and software baselines
• Implement traceability between requirements, test cases, and system outputs
• Develop and enforce integration and verification procedures
  
  

Cross-Functional Team Leadership

• Manage a team of mechanical, avionics, and software integration engineers
• Coordinate closely with core Software, GNC, Avionics, Electrical Engineering and production teams
• Drive technical reviews, design readiness reviews, and integration reviews
• Mentor engineers in systems thinking and disciplined integration practices

Ground Test & Validation

• Lead structured ground test campaigns
• Define data collection and validation methods
• Identify risks prior to flight integration
• Ensure safe and repeatable test execution
  
  Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred)
• 8–12+ years of experience in aerospace systems integration and testing
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams
• Strong understanding of avionics integration, signal timing, and embedded systems
• Experience with HITL environments and system-level validation
• Familiarity with configuration management tools and processes Preferred
• Experience using CAMEO Systems Modeler for system architecture development, requirements traceability, interface definition, and configuration control
• Experience in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) development and integration
• Strong background in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
• Experience transitioning development features into production block upgrades with structured release management
• Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink-based architectures, including model validation and code generation workflows
• Experience with VxWorks-based embedded systems and real-time software integration

Role Summary

At Zone 5 Technologies, Systems Integration & Test Engineers lead the development and execution of Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) environments and drive the integration, bring-up, and validation of new technologies and features across programs.

This role is highly hands-on while operating at the system level, working across cross-functional teams to mature, integrate, test, and troubleshoot complex avionics, systems, and subsystems prior to production and flight.

Senior and Principal engineers define integration strategy, system architecture, and test philosophy, ensuring alignment from requirements through validation.  You will lead complex integration efforts, own system-level performance and readiness, and serve as the technical authorities responsible for delivering flight-ready capability.

In this role, you are expected to operate with extreme ownership, working effectively across disciplines in a leadership-driven environment, balancing technical execution with strategic direction and team influence.

Responsibilities

Integration Strategy & HITL Architecture

• Define and architect HITL environments across programs
• Establish integration standards, processes, and validation strategies
• Lead complex system integration across avionics, software, and hardware
• Ensure traceability from requirements to validation

Model-Based & System Validation Leadership

• Oversee system-level modeling and simulation strategies
• Guide control validation, system behavior analysis, and verification
• Drive integration of models into embedded systems

Avionics & System Architecture

• Define system architectures and interface standards
• Lead protocol validation, timing architecture, and data flow design
• Resolve complex cross-system integration challenges

Mechanical & Environmental Integration Oversight

• Guide packaging strategies for SWaP and thermal constraints
• Ensure system-level integration viability across environments

Ground & Flight Test Leadership

• Lead integration test campaigns and readiness reviews
• Define test plans, success criteria, and risk mitigation strategies
• Serve as key technical authority during flight test operations

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in engineering
• 8–15+ years of experience in aerospace integration/test
• Deep expertise in embedded systems and system architecture
• Proven experience leading integration efforts or teams

Preferred

• Extensive SIL / HIL development experience
• Flight test leadership experience
• Experience with complex UAV or autonomous systems
• Strong background in system architecture and verification

Leveling Signals

• Owns system-level integration strategy
• Leads teams and cross-functional efforts
• Defines processes, not just executes them
• Trusted technical authority across programs

Pay Range:

Level V - $171k - $191k

Level VI - $192k - $212k

Role Summary

At Zone 5 Technologies, Systems Integration & Test Engineers support the development and execution of Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) environments and integration & bring-up of new technologies and feature testing efforts.

This role is hands-on and execution-focused, working in a collaborative cross functional team environment to support the maturation, integration, testing, & troubleshooting of new avionics, systems, & sub-systems  prior to production.

Responsibilities

HITL Development & Support

• Assist in setup and maintenance of HITL test rigs
• Support integration of avionics, sensors, and control hardware
• Execute test scripts and assist with simulation model based testing
• Support signal validation and basic debugging

Model-Based Development (Software)

• Support development & Testing of MATLAB/Simulink models
• Assist with simulation runs and data validation
• Support code generation workflows under guidance

Avionics Integration (Avionics)

• Assist in wiring harness fabrication and installation
• Support testing of communication protocols (CAN, UART, Ethernet)
• Perform basic signal validation and continuity checks

Mechanical Integration (Mechanical)

• Support mechanical assembly of test rigs and components
• Assist with packaging and mounting solutions
• Support thermal and environmental test setups

Ground Testing & Validation

• Execute test procedures and collect data
• Document test results and discrepancies
• Assist in troubleshooting integration issues

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, or related experience.  
• 0–3 years of experience (internships or project experience acceptable)
• Basic understanding of embedded systems or avionics
• Exposure to lab/test environments

Preferred

• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink (academic acceptable)
• Experience with UAVs, robotics, or embedded systems projects
• Hands-on hardware or lab experience

Pay Range:

Level I - $85,000 - $106,000

Level II - $107,000 - $128,000

We are seeking an experienced Crew Chief to provide maintenance support for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and other related DoD based projects. Zone 5 maintains a weekly flight test cadence at test ranges local to the San Luis Obispo, CA area. In addition, there will be occasional flight test demonstration events at both CONUS and OCONUS locations that will require travel to support. Flight maintenance requires significant time spent outdoors in various weather conditions.

Key Responsibility

• Aircraft Servicing 
  Perform routine pre-flight and post-flight inspections, fueling, Flight Control Rigging, and servicing tasks to ensure aircraft are safe and mission-ready. 
• Packout Support 
  Prepare and transport test equipment, spares, and tools required for flight test operations, both on-site and at remote locations. 
• Vehicle Maintenance 
  Conduct basic maintenance and servicing of support vehicles to ensure reliable ground transportation during test activities. 
• Ground Support Equipment (GSE) 
  Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot ground support systems (Aircraft support equipment, towing equipment, etc.) critical to test operations. 
• Camera Equipment Setup & Maintenance 
  Install, configure, and maintain airborne and ground-based camera systems used for flight test data capture. 
• Weight & Balance 
  Assist with aircraft weight and balance calculations, ensuring proper loading for safe and compliant flight operations. 
• Trailer Loading & Weight Distribution 
  Apply proper load distribution practices to trailers during pack out and transport, maintaining safety, balance, and compliance with road regulations. 
• Prepare and execute ground and flight test operations for unmanned aircraft systems, including pre-flight and post-flight inspections. 
• Support integration of avionics, propulsion, payloads, and autonomy systems onto UAV platforms. 
• Operate ground control stations (GCS) and monitor flight telemetry during test missions under engineer or pilot supervision. 
• Perform troubleshooting, corrective maintenance, and hardware swaps during rapid test cycles. 

Qualifications 

Required: 

• Associate’s degree in Aerospace, Avionics, Electrical, or Mechanical Technology, or equivalent hands-on training, or A&P Mechanic’s License 
• 3+ years of experience in UAV operations, Military or General Aviation aircraft service, maintenance, or defense flight test environments,  
• Knowledge of aircraft subsystems: avionics, flight controls, telemetry, propulsion. 
• Familiarity with flight line operations and ground support equipment (GSE). 
• Ability to read and interpret basic wiring diagrams, schematics, and test documentation. 
• Physically capable of lifting 50 lbs and working in outdoor field test conditions. 
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 50%

Preferred: 

• Experience supporting DoD UAV platforms or autonomous aircraft. 
• Knowledge of data acquisition and telemetry systems. 

#LI-MD1