Senior Ground Test Engineer

STARK

ABOUT US STARK is a new kind of defence technology company, revolutionizing the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost-effective. This provides our operators with a decisive edge in highly contested environments. We’re focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe. YOUR MISSION As a UAV Test Pilot at STARK, you are the critical link between digital design and physical reality. Working in lockstep with Flight Test Engineers, you will be responsible for the planning, execution, and reporting of flight tests for experimental, developmental, and modified production systems. Your mission is to push our airframes to their limits to validate performance, ensure compliance with international standards, and prove the safety of our designs. You aren't just "flying drones", you are validating the next generation of autonomous flight technologies that will protect Europe. Whether you are executing high-performance manual maneuvers or monitoring complex BVLOS autonomous missions, your feedback will directly shape the software and hardware of the future. RESPONSIBILITIES RESPONSIBILITIES FLIGHT OPERATIONS & EXECUTION * Conduct remote piloting of unmanned aircraft during development and validation campaigns, often in full-manual mode to test the raw flight envelope. * Execute flight tests with surgical precision according to the flight test programme. * Monitor live telemetry and onboard video streams, maintaining total situational awareness of aircraft health and test status. * Coordinate seamlessly with GCS operators, observers, and engineers in a high-pressure team environment. TEST PLANNING & PREPARATION * Contribute operational expertise to test site selection, flight profiles, hazard analysis, and weather constraints. * Prepare UAV systems, including pre-flight configuration, control link verification, and functional system checks. * Assist with the integration and ground verification of flight-critical hardware and software. SAFETY, REGULATORY & DOCUMENTATION * Act as the final authority on safety for each sortie, conducting risk assessments and responding to anomalies or emergency situations. * Maintain airspace deconfliction in accordance with SORA and EASA regulatory requirements. * Participate in briefings/debriefings, providing structured, technical feedback on aircraft behavior. * Support licensing and documentation to build long-term test capabilities across Germany and Europe. YOUR FIRST 12 MONTHS TIMEFRAME FOCUS MONTH 0–1: ONBOARDING MASTER THE STARK TECH STACK. GET FAMILIAR WITH OUR CURRENT AIRFRAMES, GCS SOFTWARE, AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS. COMPLETE LOCAL SITE INDUCTIONS AND SHADOW EXISTING FLIGHT OPERATIONS. MONTH 1–3: INTEGRATION BEGIN EXECUTING STANDARD TEST CARDS. SUPPORT THE ENGINEERING TEAM IN GROUND-TESTING NEW COMPONENTS AND TAKE YOUR FIRST "STICK TIME" WITH EXPERIMENTAL PROTOTYPES. MONTH 3–6: MISSION LEAD LEAD FLIGHT TEST CAMPAIGNS FOR SPECIFIC SUBSYSTEM VALIDATIONS. CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO SORA APPLICATIONS AND EXPAND OUR OPERATIONAL FOOTPRINT IN EUROPE. MONTH 6–12: ADVANCED TESTING EXECUTE COMPLEX BVLOS AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE ENVELOPES. START TRANSITIONING TOWARD FLIGHT TEST ENGINEERING (FTE) TASKS, INCLUDING DATA ANALYSIS AND TEST DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES. QUALIFICATIONS EXPERIENCE & CERTIFICATIONS * Valid EU A1/A3 and A2 Remote Pilot Certificates (EASA). * Valid radio operator certificate (e.g., BZF) or the ability to obtain one immediately. * Demonstrable manual piloting skills of high-performance fixed-wing and multirotor UAVs (precision take-offs, landings, and maneuvering in tight spots). * Experience with professional GCS software, mission planning tools, and telemetry monitoring. * Must be a citizen of a NATO member state (due to export control and security regulations). TECHNICAL MINDSET * Familiarity with test operations under BVLOS and experimental conditions. * Skilled in maintaining situational awareness during long, complex multi-aircraft operations. * A problem-solving mindset—you don’t just report a bug; you help the engineers find the "why." * Excellent written and verbal communication in English. MINDSET & STYLE * Disciplined: You follow test cards to the letter but stay agile when a plan changes last minute. * Reliable: High attention to detail with a "safety-first" internal compass. * Startup Ready: You thrive in a fast-paced environment where your role evolves as the company grows. NICE TO HAVE * Previous experience as a Flight Test Engineer or holding a PPL/CPL/ATPL. * Hands-on experience tuning Ardupilot or PX4 autopilot systems. * Background in military UAV operations or defense contracting. WHY STARK * Shape the Future: A unique opportunity to influence the trajectory of autonomous flight tech. * Fast-Paced Growth: Flat hierarchies and a decision-heavy environment —no red tape, just results. * The Best Tools: Access to cutting-edge drone hardware and dedicated test facilities. * Career Path: Development pathway toward Senior Flight Test Engineer or Test Director roles. * Competitive Package: Salary that reflect your value to the mission.

STARK

ABOUT US STARK is a new kind of defence technology company. We design, develop, and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost-effective, changing how autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. This gives our operators a decisive edge in highly contested environments. As threats rise, STARK is strengthening the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe. YOUR MISSION As Head of Flight Test, you own STARK’s flight test organisation end to end: the pilots and operators who fly the aircraft, the flight test engineers who design the tests and run the instrumentation, the operations managers who deliver production, experimental, and customer-facing campaigns, and the staff responsible for flight test safety and operating permits. You will start in Germany, turning a fast-growing team into a mature flight test capability of roughly 40+ people that can execute operations in multiple locations, with requisite Operator permits (civil and military) as needed for the different classes of loitering munition and drones in STARK’s growing portfolio.  From there you build outward to 2028: a global organisation with local units in the UK, Ukraine, and Greece, each running common STARK processes under its own national authority. You are accountable for how fast STARK tests and how safely it does so. When those two pull against each other, you make the decision and take ownership. RESPONSIBILITIES ORGANISATION & LEADERSHIP * Own the full flight test organisation across four pillars: Pilots & Operators, Flight Test Engineering, Flight Test Operations, and Safety & Compliance. * Hire and develop the pillar leads, and build the career ladders and competency standards that take the German organisation to its ~40+-person target and beyond. * Carry budget, headcount, schedule, and tempo accountability for flight test as a whole. FLIGHT TEST STRATEGY & METHODOLOGY * Define STARK’s flight test strategy across all platforms (Virtus, Cascade, Gambit and the small to large scale effectors that follow). * Own the envelope-expansion and build-up philosophy: how a test point moves from simulation to flying testbed (for example a Twin Otter-class surrogate) to the air vehicle, de-risking at each step. * Own the master Flight Test Operations Manual (FTOM), the test-planning methodology (test cards, Flight and Test Readiness Reviews), and the flight test engineering (FTE) and instrumentation (FTI) standards. * Own the data lifecycle: quality, traceability, and results that stand up as cerification evidence. Flight safety & airworthiness * Hold the independent flight test safety function: Safety Review Boards, hazard analysis, risk acceptance, abort criteria, and emergency response at every test site. * Keep flight test activity inside approved limits (Permit-to-Fly, operational authorisations) and drive STARK toward its LUC and DOA-grade airworthiness posture. * Give safety dissent a hard, codified path to the Accountable Manager that schedule pressure cannot override. CAMPAIGN DELIVERY * Deliver three campaign types through the Operations pillar: production-acceptance flights at volume, developmental flight tests  for engineering, and customer-facing demonstration and qualification  flights. * Stand up a high-throughput production-acceptance regime as delivery contracts convert to volume, and run it as its own discipline, in parallel to the engineering flight tests. * Be responsible for flight operations, from obtaining permits, ensuring team and equipment logistics, and crew resource management  and training across German and international test locations. REGULATORY INTERFACE & THE 2028 BUILD * Act as STARK’s senior flight test interface to LBA, LufABw, BAAINBw / WTD, and EASA in Germany. * Decide which global processes shall apply  (methodology, safety framework, FTE/FTI standards, data tooling, competency standards) and what is owned by local flight test teams  (authority interface, named postholders, operational approvals). * Stand up local flight test organisations in the UK, Ukraine, and Greece that report into the global function and run national procedures on top of the common baseline. * Appoint the accountable safety and airworthiness postholders each national authority requires, for example, the MAA / CFAOS Accountable Manager (Military Flying) in the UK. YOUR FIRST 12 MONTHS Timeframe Focus What this looks like Month 0–2 Assess & take command Complete STARK safety and flight operations induction. Map the current organisation, campaigns, platforms, and authority relationships. Meet the function leads, and identify the immediate gaps in safety, staffing, and process. Take operational ownership of the running campaign calendar. Month 2–4 Set the German baseline Publish the master FTOM and safety framework. Stand up the independent Safety Review Board. Lay out the roadmap to EASA LUC approval. Close the most urgent senior hires. Month 4–8 Build the organisation Fill the pillar-lead and senior roles. Standardise test-planning, instrumentation, and data processes across all three campaign types. Bring production-acceptance up to a volume-ready standard.  Month 8–12 Extend beyond Germany Define the global-versus-local operating model. Stand up the first local flight test organisation (UK or Ukraine) with its named postholders and authority interface. Set the 2027–2028 plan for the remaining countries. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED * 12+ years in flight test, military aviation, or aerospace test and evaluation, including 5+ years leading flight test  teams or organisations. * A track record of building or running a flight test capability, with end-to-end accountability for campaigns from test plan to certification evidence. * Working knowledge of UAV operating permits (EASA  "specific" category, and/or military airworthiness DEMAR / EMAR). * A grounding in flight test engineering, and data analysis. * Business-fluent English (C1+); German at working level for the authority interface, or a credible plan to get there. * NATO member-state citizen, eligible for German security clearance (Ü2/Ü3), and willing to build teams on the ground in the UK, Ukraine, and Greece. PREFERRED * Graduate of a recognised test pilot school (ETPS, EPNER, USNTPS, NTPS) or a flight test engineering long course. * UAS, loitering-munitions, or eVTOL flight test background. * Prior Design Organisation experience and named postholder / Form 4 acceptance. * Experience standing up flight test operations in more than one country. * Working knowledge of STANAG 4586 and STANAG 4671. MINDSET * Safety authority first: You hold the line when the schedule pushes against it, and people trust the call because you have earned it. * Builder by instinct: You have written the processes and stood up the teams before, and you would rather build an organisation than inherit one. * Regulator-credible: Colonels, certification inspectors, and junior technicians all get what they need from you, in the right register. * Comfortable with tempo: STARK tests fast and fails forward on purpose, and you keep that pace without letting safety slip.

STARK

ABOUT US STARK is a new kind of defence technology company, revolutionizing the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost-effective. This provides our operators with a decisive edge in highly contested environments. We’re focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe. YOUR MISSION As a UAV Flight Test Pilot, you will be responsible for working with the Flight Test Engineers on planning, executing, and reporting on flight test results for our cutting-edge UAV platforms. You will work closely with our engineering, software, and production teams to validate system performance and contribute to the next generation of autonomous flight technologies. RESPONSIBILITIES PRODUCTION FLIGHT EXECUTION * Conduct remote piloting and GCS operation for production-level unmanned aircraft. * Execute standardized flight test programmes with high repeatability and precision to validate system performance. * Monitor live telemetry and onboard video streams in real-time, ensuring flight conditions remain within the test envelope. * Coordinate with observers and test engineers to maintain safe, efficient operations in a collaborative team environment. SYSTEM PREPARATION & MAINTENANCE * Perform pre-flight configurations, control link verifications, and comprehensive functional system checks. * Assist in the ground verification of flight-critical hardware and software before takeoff. * Maintain rigorous logbook standards and regulatory recordkeeping for every airframe tested. SAFETY & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT * Act as the tactical lead for airspace monitoring and deconfliction in accordance with SORA and EASA requirements. * Respond decisively to flight anomalies and emergency situations by following established safety protocols. * Contribute to the evolution of pilot training materials, safety documentation, and operational procedures. YOUR FIRST 12 MONTHS TIMEFRAME FOCUS MONTH 0–1: LEARN & ALIGN COMPLETE STARK FLIGHT SAFETY INDUCTION. GET HANDS-ON WITH OUR GCS SOFTWARE AND INTERNAL PRODUCTION STANDARDS. SHADOW SENIOR PILOTS DURING PRODUCTION RUNS. MONTH 1–3: STANDARD OPERATIONS BEGIN EXECUTING INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION TEST CARDS. MASTER THE PRE-FLIGHT AND POST-FLIGHT DOCUMENTATION WORKFLOW. PROVIDE YOUR FIRST TECHNICAL FEEDBACK ON SYSTEM BEHAVIOR. MONTH 3–6: OPERATIONAL MASTERY OWN THE PRODUCTION FLIGHT SCHEDULE FOR SPECIFIC AIRFRAME BATCHES. SUPPORT BVLOS TEST CAMPAIGNS AND CONTRIBUTE TO RISK ASSESSMENT UPDATES FOR NEW TEST SITES. MONTH 6–12: PATH TO SENIORITY MENTOR JUNIOR GCS OPERATORS. ASSIST IN THE VALIDATION OF NEW AUTOPILOT TUNING (ARDUPILOT/PX4) AND BEGIN THE DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY TOWARD THE TEST PILOT ROLE. QUALIFICATIONS EXPERIENCE & CERTIFICATIONS * Valid EU A1/A3 and A2 Remote Pilot Certificates (EASA). * Valid radio operator certificate (e.g., BZF) or willingness to obtain one. * Proven experience with professional GCS software, mission planning tools, and telemetry monitoring. * Familiarity with flight safety protocols, particularly under BVLOS conditions. * Must be a citizen of a NATO member state (due to export control and security regulations). TECHNICAL BACKGROUND * High degree of comfort with structured, high-discipline test procedures. * Ability to maintain deep situational awareness during long test sessions. * Strong written and verbal communication skills in English. * Familiarity with regulatory recordkeeping and post-flight documentation. MINDSET & STYLE * Precision-Oriented: You find satisfaction in repeatability and "doing it right every time." * Reliable: You are the person the team trusts to handle a $100k+ asset with care and discipline. * Agile: You can pivot quickly when weather or production schedules shift. BONUS SKILLS * Previous experience as an RPIC for experimental drone testing. * Practical knowledge of Ardupilot or PX4 autopilot systems. * Background in military UAV operations or the defense sector.