Flight Test Operator - Device Platform

About the role:
Skydio is seeking a Flight Test Operator focused on Device Platform systems – the mobile and controller interfaces that connect pilots to autonomy. This role treats the human–machine interface as flight-critical, ensuring that control software performs reliably, intuitively, and predictably in real-world operations.

You’ll validate how customers interact with Skydio aircraft through mobile, controller, and handheld applications—testing workflows that span setup, flight, and recovery. You’ll work closely with mobile, embedded middleware, design, and other software hardware teams to expose edge cases, uncover usability risks, and shape customer experience.

This role is onsite in San Mateo, CA, with occasional travel to field test sites.

How you'll make an impact:

• Plan and execute UI/UX validation campaigns for new software releases and features.
• Design and run operator-in-the-loop flight tests to evaluate real-world usability and decision support.
• Validate mobile and controller UI performance during live and simulated flight operations.
• Create and automate smoke, regression, and sanity stress test suites for mobile control interfaces.
• Measure and report on flight health, latency, responsiveness, input accuracy, and recovery behavior.
• Identify human system interaction risks early and drive design and test mitigations.
• Evaluate new features for repeatability, clarity, and operational stability.
• Collect and analyze operator telemetry, logs, and screen recordings to guide design feedback.

You’ll Test and Validate

• Ground control station (GCS) and mobile application workflows
• Touch, gesture, and controller-based inputs
• Mission planning and in-flight UI transitions
• Alerts, warnings, and system state visibility
• Performance under degraded GPS, comms, or RF conditions
• Secure login, authentication, and access control flows
• 3rd-party software, device integrations, and peripherals
• Human factors in safety- and autonomy-critical behaviors
• Bring up of new controller devices and various platforms

You’ll partner with product, mobile software developers, middleware embedded teams, and design to define UX validation requirements, establish operational success metrics, and maintain safe, test-ready aircraft and controller environments.

What makes you a good fit:

• Background in human factors, mobile UI/UX validation or design, flight testing, and/or real-world system testing
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills across mobile, embedded, and networked systems
• Experience with UAS operations and high-reliability operator workflows
• Understanding of human factors, usability engineering, and cognitive workload
• Familiarity with Linux and embedded platforms (not required)
• Strong documentation and technical communication skills
• Passion for aviation, autonomy, and human-centered system design
• Flying a lot!

Compensation:

At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $90,000 - 110,000*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.

*Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.

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