{"id":2897560,"url":"https://alion.io/job/scout-ai-mission-operator-flight-test-engineer","title":"Mission Operator - Flight Test Engineer","company":{"id":1838705,"name":"Scout AI","domain":"scoutco.ai","url":"https://alion.io/company/scoutco","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Ashby","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":93,"open_postings":25,"ghost_share":0.04,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":137,"computed_at":"2026-11-03T05:54:40Z"}},"role":"Aerospace","role_family":"Aerospace","seniority":"middle","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Paso Robles, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":150000,"max":200000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":200000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":3,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-03-30T23:52:09Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-03-30","last_verified_at":"2026-11-03T06:48:20Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":217,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":["company_stale"],"days_open":217},"description":"The future of defense will be decided by those who field intelligent machines at scale. At Scout AI, we’re developing Fury, the first robotic foundation model for defense, to give U.S. forces overwhelming, adaptable, and autonomous power across every domain. Fury enables human operators to command fleets of robots through natural language, and empowers those machines to sense, decide, and act together as one. This mission will ask everything of us: urgency, precision, and relentless work.\nThe Role\n We’re hiring a Flight Test Engineer to join our Mission Operations team. This role focuses on the development, testing, and operationalization of Scout’s autonomous aerial systems. You will play a critical role in accelerating product development through disciplined flight testing, structured evaluation, and close collaboration with engineering.\nYou will be responsible for designing and executing structured flight test plans, operating unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in real-world environments, collecting and analyzing flight and system data, and generating clear reports that drive engineering decisions. You will also support customer demonstrations and ensure systems are prepared for both internal testing and external deployment.\nYou will spend most of your time in the field at test ranges and flight environments. This role requires adaptability, strong technical aptitude, and the ability to move seamlessly between flight operations, troubleshooting systems, configuring payloads, and providing structured feedback to engineers. Your work directly drives flight safety, autonomy performance, and mission readiness.\nResponsibilities\nDesign and execute structured flight tests to evaluate autonomy performance, flight stability, navigation, and mission behaviors\n\nOperate unmanned aerial systems (UAS) safely in real-world environments, including pre-flight, in-flight monitoring, and post-flight procedures\n\nConduct pre-flight inspections, system checks, and airworthiness assessments to ensure safe operation\n\nCollect, document, and organize high-quality flight and system data; identify failures, edge cases, and performance gaps\n\nAnalyze flight test results and generate clear, concise reports with findings and actionable recommendations\n\nTroubleshoot and resolve hardware, software, and system-level issues in field environments\n\nSupport integration and validation of payloads, sensors (EO/IR, GPS, IMU), and autonomy software\n\nCollaborate closely with engineering teams to translate flight test observations into prioritized product improvements\n\nSupport customer demonstrations and flight evaluations, ensuring systems are safe, reliable, and professionally executed\n\nContribute to the development of repeatable flight test procedures, safety protocols, and validation frameworks\n\nPrepare and manage deployment logistics including aircraft setup, ground control systems, batteries, spares, and field site staging\n\nQualifications\nBachelor’s degree in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or related field) or equivalent hands-on experience\n\n3+ years of experience operating, maintaining, or testing unmanned aerial systems (UAS), drones, or similar platforms\n\nStrong understanding of flight operations, safety procedures, and pre/post-flight workflows\n\nStrong troubleshooting skills across mechanical, electrical, and software systems\n\nExperience executing structured test plans, collecting flight data, and documenting results clearly\n\nComfortable working in dynamic outdoor environments with frequent travel (25-50%)\n\nStrong communication skills and ability to collaborate closely with engineering and cross-functional teams\n\nHigh ownership mentality, attention to detail, and commitment to safety and disciplined execution\n\nMust be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities\n\nPassion about defense of the United States and its allies\n\nMay be expected to obtain and hold a U.S. Top Secret security clearance\n\nWhy Join Scout\nWork on the world’s most important frontier, ensuring U.S. and allied dominance in the age of intelligent machines\n\nBe a core part of a team building the first defense-specific robotic foundation model\n\nCollaborate with some of the top engineers in autonomy, AI, and national security\n\nSee your work deployed on real systems\n\nHelp define the future of intelligent defense systems\n\nBacked by Draper Associates, Booz Allen Ventures, and other top investors\n\nBenefits\nCompetitive base salary and bonus\n\nMeaningful equity\n\nPremium medical, dental, and vision plans with $0 paycheck contribution\n\nCompetitive PTO and company holiday calendar\n\nCatered lunch daily and fully stocked kitchen\n\nEV charging\n\nRelocation assistance (depending on role eligibility)","description_format":"text","description_chars":4756,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":3,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Relocation assistance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Defense AI","Foundation Models"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-20T05:23:41Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":24,"band":"cold","label":"Long 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