The Role

Mach Industries is seeking a New Graduate Flight Test & Operations Engineer to support the testing and operation of next-generation autonomous defense platforms. This position spans our Flight Test and Flight Operations organizations, providing exposure to flight-test engineering, test planning, vehicle operations, field testing, and mission execution.

You will work closely with flight operations, systems, GNC, software, avionics, and energetics engineers to plan and safely execute test campaigns. This role is ideal for a hands-on, highly organized engineer who wants to work directly with aircraft, spend time in the field, and help take developing systems from initial ground tests through flight.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the planning and execution of ground and flight-test operations for unmanned aircraft systems.
• Develop test plans, procedures, concepts of operations, test cards, readiness-review materials, and post-test reports.
• Coordinate test activities across flight operations, systems, GNC, avionics, software, energetics, and other engineering teams.
• Support test campaigns through preparation, systems checks, dry runs, readiness reviews, day-of-test execution, and post-test analysis.
• Assist with aircraft preparation, ground-control-station setup, test equipment, data systems, and range infrastructure.
• Help identify test requirements, instrumentation needs, operational constraints, and success criteria.
• Monitor vehicle and test-system performance during ground and flight operations.
• Collect, organize, and analyze test data to communicate results and support engineering decisions.
• Participate in root-cause investigations and help resolve issues identified during testing.
• Support the coordination of flight demonstrations and operations at private and Department of Defense test ranges.
• Contribute to test-site procedures, safety analyses, operating policies, and process improvements.
• Help scale Mach’s flight-test and flight-operations capabilities as products and programs grow.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Graduating by summer 2027.
• Relevant experience gained through internships, research, academic projects, flight programs, or technical student organizations.
• Foundational understanding of aircraft systems, flight mechanics, systems engineering, testing, or vehicle operations.
• Experience developing technical documentation, analyzing engineering data, or executing structured test procedures.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to remain organized and communicate clearly in dynamic, high-pressure environments.
• Willingness to travel to test ranges as required.
• Ability to work on-site in Huntington Beach, California.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with UAS, flight testing, aircraft operations, rocketry, robotics, or autonomous systems.
• Participation in student organizations such as Design/Build/Fly, AIAA, rocketry, UAV, Formula SAE, or autonomous vehicle teams.
• Experience developing test plans, test cards, procedures, safety documentation, or post-test reports.
• Familiarity with ground-control-station software, including Mission Planner or similar platforms.
• Experience with data acquisition, instrumentation, telemetry, or flight-data analysis.
• Familiarity with MATLAB, Python, or other engineering analysis tools.
• Experience building, operating, maintaining, or troubleshooting aircraft or other complex hardware.
• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, private pilot certificate, or radio-controlled aircraft experience.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
• Genuine enthusiasm for aviation, field testing, and hands-on vehicle operations.

Additional Requirements