Senior UAS Flight Test & Assurance Engineer

Our client, a leader in the aerospace sector, is seeking a Senior UAS Flight Test & Assurance Engineer to join their innovative team. This permanent role focuses on flight-test planning, test execution, assurance evidence generation, operational approval support, and the potential for future leadership in Verification & Validation (V&V).Key Responsibilities:Supporting the planning and delivery of UAS ground-test, integration-test and flight-test campaignsDeveloping and maintaining test plans, test cards, procedures, readiness reviews, risk controls, and post-test reportsTranslating regulatory, operational approval, SORA/SAIL, CS-21, safety and system requirements into practical test and assurance evidenceWorking with regulatory and airspace integration leads to identify applicable requirements and support regulator-facing technical discussionsCoordinating strategy for test and assurance plans, while driving execution across campaignsSupporting logistics, site readiness, equipment planning, test asset preparation, and operational coordination for flight-test deploymentsDriving assurance of complex technical mitigations, including software-enabled functions, detect-and-avoid, collision-risk modelling, and autonomy-related safety claimsIdentifying practical COTS systems, tools, sensors, software, ground systems, or test capabilities that may satisfy technical assurance needs faster, cheaper or with lower integration riskSupporting the creation of evidence needed for operational approvals, technical risk closure, safety cases, and future certification maturityWorking closely with engineering, safety, software, regulatory and flight-operations teams to ensure test activity produces credible, traceable, and usable evidenceBuilding scalable validation and verification practices that can grow from SAIL 2 activity towards SAIL 6 and CS-21-stage programme requirementsJob Requirements:Strong background in flight test, test engineering, UAS operations, aerospace systems engineering, aviation assurance, airworthiness or safety-critical systems testingPractical understanding of test planning, test execution, readiness reviews, hazard controls, evidence generation, and technical risk closureComfortable working in field-test environments, not just office-based planningAble to read, interpret, and apply aviation regulatory material, operational approval requirements, and technical standardsStrong ability to turn requirements, hazards, and assurance needs into executable test activitiesAble to engage credibly with internal specialists, regulators, operators, and technical stakeholdersHigh agency, strong judgement, and willingness to work flexibly in an early-stage programmeClear written communication and disciplined approach to test evidence, configuration, and reportingHighly Desirable:Experience with UAS, HAPS, HALE, autonomous aircraft, eVTOL, defence aviation, novel aircraft or flight-test programmesFamiliarity with SORA, SAIL, CAA/EASA environments, CS-21 or equivalent aviation certification, and operational approval processesExperience with detect-and-avoid, autonomy assurance, collision-risk modelling, simulation, safety cases, or software-enabled safety functionsExperience identifying, integrating, or evaluating COTS systems to meet assurance, test, or operational approval needsPrevious involvement in building a V&V, test, flight-test or assurance function within a growing programmeBenefits:Opportunity to work on cutting-edge aerospace projectsProfessional development and career growth prospectsCollaborative and innovative work environmentComprehensive employee benefits packageIf you are a talented engineer with significant experience in flight test and assurance, looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity in a leading aerospace company, we would love to hear from you. Apply now to join our client's dynamic team.TPBN1_UKTJ