Systems Engineer – UAS Airworthiness Certification

Systems Engineer – UAS Airworthiness Certification

Position Summary

The organization seeks a Systems Engineer with airworthiness certification experience to lead development, execution, and documentation of lost-link (command and control link loss) test plans in support of UAS airworthiness certification. This role owns the technical and procedural bridge between engineering design, safety analysis, flight test execution, and the certifying authority — ensuring lost-link behavior is fully characterized, tested, and defensible as certification evidence.

This is a lead/integrating role: the successful candidate will coordinate closely with RF/communications, flight test, software/autonomy, and system safety engineers, but will personally own the structure, traceability, and regulatory adequacy of the test plan itself.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop a comprehensive lost-link test plan covering command and control (C2) link loss

   scenarios, including link degradation, complete link loss, and link recovery/re-acquisition

   conditions.

• Define test conditions required to validate lost-link behavior across the operational envelope.

• Translate certification basis requirements (e.g., FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate / COA

   criteria, MIL-HDBK-516 data requirements, or equivalent civil/military standards) into specific,

   testable requirements and pass/fail criteria.

• Coordinate with system safety engineering to ensure test points are traceable to hazard analysis

  (FMEA/FHA) findings for lost-link failure modes.

• Work with software/autonomy engineering to validate automated lost-link behaviors (e.g., hover,

   return-to-home, pre-planned orbit points, autonomous landing, flight termination).

• Partner with RF/communications engineering to incorporate link budget analysis and signal

  degradation modeling into realistic test scenarios.

• Support flight test engineering in translating the test plan into executable test cards, and

   participate in test point execution, data review, and anomaly resolution.

• Prepare test plan documentation, evidence packages, and reports suitable for submission to and

  approval by the certifying authority.

• Represent the test plan and results during witnessed test events and certification authority

   reviews.

• Maintain requirements traceability from certification basis through hazard analysis, test plan,

   execution, and evidence close-out.

Required Qualifications

• US Citizen

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or

   related field (advanced degree preferred for senior-level candidates).

• Demonstrated experience with UAS or manned aircraft airworthiness certification processes.

• Working knowledge of applicable certification frameworks (e.g., FAA Part 21/91, COA processes,

   MIL-HDBK-516, EASA SC-VTOL/UAS regulations, or equivalent).

• Experience developing or contributing to flight test plans, including test point definition and

   success/failure criteria.

• Understanding of command and control (C2) link architecture and failure modes.

• Familiarity with system safety analysis methods (FMEA, FHA, or equivalent) as applied to flight-

   critical systems.

• Strong technical writing skills; ability to produce certification-grade documentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience authoring or executing lost-link test plans for a certified or certification-track

   UAS program.

• Experience interfacing directly with a certifying authority (FAA, EASA, DoD airworthiness

   authority, or equivalent) through review and approval cycles.

• Background in RF/communications engineering or systems integration involving datalinks.

• Experience with requirements management and traceability tools.

• Prior role as a flight test engineer, airworthiness engineer, or designated engineering

   representative (or equivalent).

Salary $160K - $210K

Corsair Technical Services is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Bachelor's degree in aerospace, systems, electrical engineering, or related field; UAS or aircraft airworthiness certification experience; flight test planning, C2 link, system safety, and certification documentation expertise.

Key Responsibilities

• developing test plans
• coordinating engineering
• maintaining traceability

Skills & Tools

FMEA, FHA, MIL-HDBK-516, FAA Part 21/91, COA, EASA SC-VTOL/UAS

Job Details

• Category: Engineering
• Seniority: Senior Level
• Commitment: Full Time
• Workplace: Remote — United States
• Salary: USD 160,000 – 210,000 / year
• Languages: English

About Corsair Technical Services

A technical services organization supporting unmanned aircraft certification and engineering programs. — Industry: Agriculture