Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
Costa Mesa · Costa Mesa, CA (OC-00) · USD 112,000-149,000 · 5+ years experience · Full-time · Posted Sep 24, 2026
At a glance
- Experience
- 5+ years experience
- Employment
- Full-time
- Location
- Costa Mesa · Costa Mesa, CA (OC-00)
- Salary
- USD 112,000-149,000 · Base salary
About the role
- Anduril Industries is seeking a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer to implement powerful instrumentation, telemetry, and data management systems for flight test of Group 5 UAS.
- The Test and Evaluation Team performs validation of Group 5 UAS in close coordination with specialist teams like Guidance, Navigation, and Control, Flight Sciences, Mission Systems, and Aircraft Maintenance.
Responsibilities
- Conduct requirements decomposition using a wide array of digital tools to select and install only the necessary flight test instrumentation, and effectively communicate analytical insights to stakeholders.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with discipline engineers, Customers, COMSEC, and program management to inform safety of test, safety of flight, strategic decisions, and positively impact 'speed-to-ramp'.
- Spearhead technical investigations to diagnose instrumentation and RF telemetry issues, providing leadership in the interpretation of data and formulation of solutions to improve system reliability and efficiency.
- Design and implement analytics-driven customer-facing products that showcase system performance metrics, provide trend analysis, and enhance user understanding and experience with our Group 5 UAS platforms.
- Design, fabricate and install flight test instrumentation sensors, data paths and equipment into one of a kind experimental aircraft, often utilizing novel approaches.
- Perform test instrument calibrations and pre-flight checks in conjunction with discipline and manufacturing engineers as an approving signatory for GO/NO-GO flight test decisions.
- Operate and maintain a telemetry auto-tracking Ground System using COTS software and hardware.
- Travel from Anduril HQ to establish FTI and RF telemetry solutions in the high desert of California, Nevada, Texas, and Oregon up to 50% of the time.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field, or Radar Systems, Data Science experience with a strong quantitative and mechanical measurements foundation.
- 5+ years notable experience with embedded data acquisition systems in manned or unmanned aircraft.
- Exceptional data visualization skills, with proficiency in using analytical tools (e.g., IADS, MATLAB, LabVIEW, Simulink) to advise the translation of complex data into accessible visual formats for diverse audiences.
- Demonstrated expertise in implementing high channel count (e.g. 100-400 measurands) mechanical measurement systems and architecting RF telemetry for near real-time display in a control room.
- A proven track record of implementing and troubleshooting grounding, bonding, and shielding solutions for analog-to-digital instrumentation signals in multi-band RF environments.
- Experience with composite and exotic material installations across varying flight test environments.
- A strong commitment to applying data science to solve real-world problems, with the ability to translate technical findings into actionable recommendations that have a tangible impact.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage effectively with multidisciplinary teams, including engineers, program managers, and non-technical stakeholders.
- Able to work extended hours as required and travel as required for test planning and execution.
- Ability to immediately obtain a U.S. Top Secret-Level security clearance and be subject to pre-employment and randomized substance screening.
Preferred qualifications
- Master of Science or B.S. and 10+ years experience with flight test instrumentation on COTS Telemetry Solutions including ground and air equipment.
- 5+ years experience setting up and administering high channel-count, RF telemetry systems with the Interactive Analysis and Display System (IADS).
- Knowledge of best practices for implementing RF ground planes and architecting RF telemetry systems for maximum RF range on composite aircraft systems.
- Leadership experience, with the ability to mentor less experienced discipline engineers and lead project teams in the execution of complex data acquisition initiatives.
- Experience working with 'Data-at-rest' multi-domain, encrypted storage devices on aircraft.
Benefits
- Highly competitive equity grants included in the majority of full time offers
- Top-tier benefits for full-time employees supporting health, recovery, and other needs
Workplace
- Travel up to 50% of the time from Anduril HQ to the high desert of California, Nevada, Texas, and Oregon.
Skills
- IADS
- MATLAB
- LabVIEW
- Simulink
- RF Telemetry
- Embedded Data Acquisition Systems
- Analog-to-digital Instrumentation
- Telemetry Auto-tracking Ground System
