Auterion
Flight Test Pilot
6d ago
Europe
Execute high-volume factory acceptance tests flying production multicopters to ensure performance, safety and quality.
Responsibilities
- Execute High-Volume Factory Acceptance Flights: Operate production multicopters through standardized FAT profiles to verify performance, flight characteristics, payload integration, and system behavior on every aircraft leaving the Munich facility.
- Maintain Operational Flight Proficiency: Serve as a fully proficient Flight Test Pilot, capable of accurately and repeatably executing the maneuvers and procedures defined by the Flight Test Engineering team, with a focus on consistency across hundreds of acceptance flights.
- Support Reporting and Debriefing: Actively participate in post-flight debriefs, providing clear, subjective feedback on vehicle performance, handling qualities, and system behavior. Help engineers correlate pilot observations with measured data and flag systemic trends across the production fleet.
- Maintain, Retrofit, and Repair Test Vehicles: Perform hands-on maintenance, inspections, component swaps, and repairs to keep the acceptance fleet at the highest standard of airworthiness and configuration control. Drive root-cause analysis on units that fail acceptance and feed findings back into production.
- Prepare Bench Setups: Assemble and configure hardware for ground and bench testing, including system integration checks, sensor calibrations, and pre-flight verifications that precede each acceptance flight.
- Execute Logistic Preparations for Flight Test Campaigns: Manage the hands-on logistics for occasional off-site test campaigns, including packing equipment, arranging transportation, and setting up remote operational sites to ensure campaign success.
- Become a Subject-Matter Expert: Develop in-depth knowledge of Auterion hardware and software, including Skynode, PX4, AuterionOS, Auterion Mission Control, and Auterion Suite, and apply that expertise to make every acceptance flight efficient and informative.
- Influence Product Quality: Act as a critical feedback source between production and engineering, translating patterns observed in acceptance testing into actionable recommendations for design, process, and quality improvements.
Requirements
- This role demands a blend of piloting precision, mechanical craftsmanship, and methodical rigor — qualities that drive product excellence and align with our core values: Be Bold, Own the Outcome, and Team Over Players.
- Proven Piloting Skill: Demonstrably strong piloting skills on multicopters, with a focus on precision, safety, and procedural discipline. Comfort flying repetitive standardized profiles to a consistently high standard.
- Hands-On Drone Expertise: Direct experience flying and building drones or autonomous vehicles. Proficiency in hardware tasks like soldering, wiring, mounting, and assembling electronic subassemblies is a strong plus; CAD design and 3D printing experience is welcome.
- Mechanical Aptitude: Strong mechanical sense and hands-on experience maintaining and repairing aircraft, drones, or complex electro-mechanical systems.
- Test and Quality Mindset: A structured, procedure-oriented way of working with meticulous attention to detail. Prior experience in a production, acceptance, or flight test environment (aviation, automotive, or robotics) is a strong plus.
- Software Knowledge: Familiarity with the PX4 ecosystem and ground control stations (e.g., QGroundControl, Auterion Mission Control) is a significant advantage.
- Regulatory & Operational Readiness: Knowledge of EU safety regulations regarding testing and flying UAS is required. You must hold or be able to obtain the EU-Drone License A1/A3 (A2 is a plus) and must be an EU citizen.
- Engineering Foundation (a Plus): A technical degree or vocational qualification in aerospace, mechatronics, robotics, or a related field is welcome but not required — practical piloting and mechanical experience matter most.
Conditions
- Flexible working hours
- Stock Options
- Generous holiday allowance
- Pension plan
- Extended social security package
- Enhanced maternity & paternity leave
- Learning and development opportunities
Other
- At Auterion, we build the future of drones and autonomous robots. Our Munich-based production and flight test team is responsible for getting world-class multicopters into the hands of our enterprise and government customers — at scale, on schedule, and with uncompromising quality.
- As a Flight Test Pilot, you are the final gatekeeper before our multicopters leave the factory. You will execute high-volume Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), flying production aircraft through standardized acceptance profiles, validating that every unit meets Auterion’s performance, safety, and quality standards. Your hands-on piloting skill, mechanical aptitude, and procedural discipline will directly shape the customer experience of our products.
- This role is ideal for a precise, safety-minded pilot who thrives in a fast-paced, production-oriented environment and enjoys working at the intersection of aviation, robotics, and modern manufacturing.
- We are building the leading software platform for AI-powered autonomous systems for enterprise and government customers. Our team is supporting the most important missions and solving the most challenging problems.
- At Auterion, we bring together the sharpest minds who love to solve the hardest problems. Join a vibrant team built on innovation, openness, and excellence, where you’ll be empowered to develop ideas, collaborate across all levels, and make an impact that matters.