Senior Subsystem Test Engineer

Skyways designs, builds, and operates fully autonomous long range cargo aircraft. Founded in 2017, the company has spent nearly a decade developing and deploying autonomous logistics systems for real world operations.

Our V2 aircraft carries 30 lbs up to 500 miles, and V3 has a maximum range of well over 1,000 miles, a maximum useful load of 100 lbs, and a maximum endurance of nearly 20 hours. Both use a hybrid electric architecture that takes off like a helicopter and cruises like a plane, enabling long range autonomous delivery without traditional runway infrastructure.

Today, Skyways aircraft fly revenue missions for commercial customers across three continents. We are scaling full rate production and building toward large fleets of autonomous cargo aircraft.

Backed by Y Combinator and a $37M AFWERX STRATFI award from the U.S. Air Force, Skyways is creating a new form of transportation to advance our civilization from Austin, Texas.

The Opportunity

This role owns how aircraft systems are validated before flight.

You will develop and execute subsystem test programs across structures, propulsion, electrical systems, avionics, and integrated aircraft hardware. Your work will directly impact aircraft reliability, development speed, and flight readiness.

You will build the infrastructure needed to test complex systems quickly and accurately, including fixtures, instrumentation, data acquisition systems, and automated test workflows. The role requires strong engineering fundamentals, hands-on execution, and the ability to diagnose problems across mechanical and electrical systems.

You will work closely with mechanical, electrical, software, manufacturing, and flight test teams to identify failures early, improve system reliability, and support rapid aircraft iteration.

The ideal candidate is comfortable building test systems from scratch, troubleshooting hardware issues directly, and operating in fast-moving hardware development environments.

• Develop and execute subsystem test plans for aircraft hardware and integrated systems

• Design and build test fixtures, instrumentation setups, and data acquisition systems

• Support testing across structures, propulsion, electrical systems, avionics, and integrated aircraft hardware

• Mentor junior test engineers and raise the bar for how test programs, fixtures, and data analysis are built and run across the team

• Analyze test data and identify system failures, performance gaps, and reliability issues

• Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and integration issues during testing activities

• Collaborate with engineering teams to improve subsystem performance and validation processes

• Develop automated test workflows, documentation, and test procedures

• Support ground testing, aircraft integration, and flight test activities

• 5+ years developing and executing tests for complex hardware systems, including building test infrastructure from scratch

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field

• Experience developing and executing tests for complex hardware systems

• Hands-on experience with instrumentation, sensors, signal conditioning, and data acquisition systems

• Strong troubleshooting skills across mechanical and electrical systems

• Experience analyzing test data and diagnosing system-level issues

• Ability to work directly with hardware in lab, production, or flight test environments

• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills

• Ability to operate effectively in fast-moving engineering environments