Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer (R5009)

Shield AI

Wichita Metro Area, US

On-site

Who this role is best for

Best suited to mid-level engineers with hands-on instrumentation experience working in autonomous aircraft development.

Best fit for

Engineers experienced with data acquisition systems in aerospace test environments
— “design, install, validate, and maintain data acquisition systems”
Technical professionals comfortable collaborating across multiple engineering disciplines
— “works closely with Flight Test, Systems Engineering, Avionics, Autonomy, and Safety teams”
Field-oriented candidates who thrive in dynamic testing conditions
— “hands-on, field-focused role that requires strong technical depth, disciplined execution”

Things to consider

Role requires direct involvement in aircraft-level testing operations
— “essential to aircraft-level testing, safety, and mission success”
Position demands rapid iteration based on test data analysis
— “enables rapid, data-driven iteration”

How to stand out

Demonstrate specific examples of instrumentation systems you've deployed in flight test programs
— “development, integration, and execution of instrumentation systems”
Showcase troubleshooting skills in high-stakes field environments
— “ability to operate effectively in a dynamic test environment”

Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · TeamLevel · Mid

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

high-quality data capture
rigorous test objectives

Typical background

aerospace engineeringflight test engineering

Skills & requirements

Required

Flight Test InstrumentationData Acquisition SystemsPropulsion SystemsStructural SystemsAvionicsAutonomy Systems

Preferred

Flight Test ExperienceAutonomous Systems

Stack & domain

Flight TestInstrumentationAutonomous Aircraft

About the role

Original posting from Shield AI via Lever

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Job Description:
Shield AI is seeking a highly capable Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer to support the development, integration, and execution of instrumentation systems for X-BAT, the world’s first autonomous VTOL jet aircraft. In this role, you will design, install, validate, and maintain data acquisition systems essential to aircraft-level testing, safety, and mission success.
The Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer is responsible for ensuring high-quality, reliable data capture across propulsion, structural, avionics, and autonomy systems. This engineer works closely with Flight Test, Systems Engineering, Avionics, Autonomy, and Safety teams to ensure instrumentation supports rigorous test objectives and enables rapid, data-driven iteration.
This is a hands-on, field-focused role that requires strong technical depth, disciplined execution, and the ability to operate effectively in a dynamic test environment.

Source: Shield AI careers (Lever)