Senior Test Engineer

Job Details:

Job Location:

Flightwave
- Torrance, CA 90503, Salary Range: $ - $ Salary, Position Summary

Red Cat Aerial, a subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings, is looking to fill a Mechanical Engineer position. We are a dynamic and growing drone technology company focused on the manufacturing of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS drones) for use in defense, public safety, and other government security organizations.

In this role, you will be responsible for designing, prototyping, fabricating, testing, and integrating a range of mechanical systems into flight hardware and ground control systems. The ideal candidate will have a background in mechanical design of drones and/or multi-axis camera gimbals in high volume production applications.

Location

Note:

The role will start in Carson, but the office is expected to move to the Torrance area in Q1 2026.

• Create custom test fixtures, automation, and data acquisition systems as needed to enable robust, repeatable validation.
• Apply Design of Experiments (DOE), life data analysis, and other statistical techniques (e.g., capability analysis, regression, Weibull analysis) to extract insights and support engineering decisions.
• Partner with supplier quality and purchasing teams to support component qualification, test method validation, and vendor development efforts
• Contribute to and review risk management deliverables (e.g., DFMEA/PFMEA) and propose test strategies that address top failure modes.
• Support root cause investigations and drive corrective actions through structured test and analysis methods.
• Other duties as assigned

Education:

Minimum education (e.g., Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field).

Experience:

Required years of relevant experience (e.g., 5+ yrs project management or sales).

Skills:

Key skills for success:
Proficiency with tools. Strong communication and teamwork.

Certifications:

Any certifications needed or preferred (e.g., PMP, Lean Six Sigma).

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, Electrical, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in reliability, product validation, or mechanical test engineering.
• Hands-on experience designing and building custom test setups, data acquisition systems (image capture, vibration analysis, thermal measurement, EMC/EMI measurement, etc)
• Hands-on experience developing and executing qualification test plans for complex electromechanical systems.
• Demonstrated ability to apply statistical analysis in the context of product testing and reliability evaluation.
• Strong organizational planning skills and enthusiasm to develop high-level validation strategy

• Familiarity with industry-specific environmental test standards (MIL-STD-810, DO-160, etc.) and associated test methods.
• Experience with lightweight aerostructures, vibrations, fatigue analysis, etc.
• Experience with UAS systems, robotics, autonomous vehicles, etc.
• Experience with BLDC motor system design, integration, and validation
• Proficiency in PCB layout, design, and component placement for electromechanical systems
• Industry experience in robotics, UAVs/drones, autonomous systems, or similar hardware‑driven environments
• Familiarity with camera modules, imaging systems, and optical component integration
• Knowledge of structural composite materials (carbon fiber, fiberglass) and related mold or tooling design
• Experience performing or interpreting analyses such as thermal, aerodynamic, or transient vibration simulation

• Be able to lift 15 lb
• Work on your feet for 5+ hours each…