Flight Test Engineer - Remote Eligible

Flight Test Engineer

This role focuses on planning, executing, and analyzing aircraft flight tests to validate system performance, ensure safety, and support certification efforts across advanced aviation programs. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional engineering teams to develop robust test plans, execute ground and flight test activities, and transform flight data into actionable insights that improve aircraft systems and support airworthiness compliance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and support detailed flight test plans, test cards, and test objectives that align with program requirements and system performance goals.
• Define test configurations, including aircraft setup, instrumentation needs, and data collection strategies to ensure high-quality, reliable test results.
• Coordinate with systems, controls, avionics, simulation, and operations teams to ensure test readiness and effective execution.
• Participate in aircraft ground and flight test activities, supporting pre-flight preparation, in-flight monitoring, and post-flight operations.
• Monitor aircraft systems and telemetry during test execution to identify anomalies, safety concerns, and deviations from expected behavior.
• Support real-time decision-making during test events in collaboration with pilots, flight test leads, and engineering stakeholders.
• Analyze flight test data to assess system performance, aircraft behavior, and compliance with defined test objectives.
• Correlate flight test results with system expectations, simulations, and analytical models to validate design assumptions and identify discrepancies.
• Document findings, anomalies, and lessons learned in clear post-flight reports and communicate results to cross-functional teams.
• Work closely with systems, controls, avionics, and simulation engineers to investigate issues, support root-cause analysis, and recommend corrective actions.
• Support refinement of test procedures, test methodologies, and system designs based on flight test outcomes and data-driven insights.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of flight test processes, documentation standards, and best practices across programs.

Essential Skills

• At least 3 years of experience working as a Flight Test Engineer.
• At least 3 years of hands-on experience with aircraft flight test execution, including ground and/or flight activities.
• At least 3 years of experience developing or supporting flight test plans and test procedures.
• Proven experience in flight test data analysis and post-flight reporting, with the ability to derive clear conclusions and recommendations from complex datasets.
• Systems-level understanding of aircraft and subsystem interactions, including how avionics, controls, and other systems integrate and affect overall aircraft behavior.
• Experience holding or having held a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC).
• Professional experience with Manufacturing Record (MFR) processes.
• Strong background in aircraft flight test execution, including coordination with pilots, engineers, and operations teams.
• Ability to work effectively with telemetry data, system performance metrics, and analytical or simulation results.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience supporting autonomous, optionally piloted, or experimental aircraft programs.
• Familiarity with telemetry systems, data acquisition systems, or flight test instrumentation.
• Experience collaborating with flight controls or simulation teams on test planning, execution, or analysis.
• Exposure to simulation-based test planning or test correlation between simulated and actual flight results.
• Background in regulated aerospace environments or certification-adjacent testing, such as airworthiness or safety-critical systems certification.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills to work effectively with cross-functional engineering and operations teams.
• Ability to document technical findings clearly and present results to diverse technical audiences.

Work Environment

This is a fully remote position, allowing you to contribute to flight test planning, coordination, and data analysis from a home-based or remote office environment. You will collaborate virtually with systems, controls, avionics, and simulation teams using modern communication and collaboration tools. While the role focuses heavily on planning, analysis, and cross-functional coordination, you will work closely with on-site flight test and operations personnel who execute ground and flight activities at test locations. The organization operates in safety-critical aviation, space, and defense domains, with a strong emphasis on rigorous processes, documentation quality, and compliance with aerospace standards and certification requirements.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Phoenix, AZ.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $60.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Apr 29, 2026.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:

• Hiring diverse talent
• Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
• Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
• Ensuring growth opportunities for our people

Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we've helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC—with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.

Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.