Lead UAV Test Engineer (Systems/Mechatronics) jobs in United States
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Seneca · 1 month ago

Lead UAV Test Engineer (Systems/Mechatronics)

positionSausalito
timeFull-time
remoteOnsite
senioritySenior Level, Lead/Staff
money$110K/yr - $220K/yr
date5+ years exp

Seneca is a company focused on eliminating the threat of wildfire through AI-powered autonomous drone systems. They are seeking a Lead UAV Test Engineer to design test plans, instrument vehicles, and analyze system-level performance across multiple domains, ensuring effective test execution and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Information TechnologyPublic Safety
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H1B Sponsor Likelynote

Responsibilities

Develop and own system-level test plans for ground and flight testing, with clear objectives, sequences, and success criteria
Design and maintain test infrastructure and instrumentation, ensuring vehicles and test setups capture high-quality, actionable data
Provide technical oversight of test execution, validating readiness, guiding pilots and operators, and ensuring procedural rigor
Analyze telemetry, logs, and performance data to characterize system behavior, identify root causes, and inform engineering decisions
Drive continuous improvement of test methods, documentation, workflows, and tools
Collaborate cross-functionally with hardware and software teams to align test activities with development needs and translate findings into design actions

Qualification

UAV testing experienceMechatronics expertiseTest plan designData analysisCAD proficiencyFAA Part 107 certificationProblem solvingCollaborationOwnership mentality

Required

5–10 years experience in UAV, robotics, aerospace, or electromechanical systems testing
Strong mechatronics intuition: able to debug mechanical, electrical, and software-integration issues at a system level
Experience designing structured experiments and test plans
Hands-on experience instrumenting complex systems and validating data quality
Ability to define requirements and prototype fixtures
Competence analyzing logs, telemetry, and multi-domain performance data
Comfortable working in both lab and field environments, including variable outdoor conditions
Basic CAD proficiency

Preferred

Passion for UAVs and aviation
Exposure to PX4/ArduPilot, ROS, or similar robotics frameworks
Familiarity with reliability, accelerated life, or environmental testing
FAA Part 107 certification or willingness to obtain one

Benefits

Competitive Salary – Reflective of your skills and experience
Equity Compensation – Be a part-owner in the company's future
Comprehensive Health Coverage – Including medical, dental, and vision plans
Health Savings Account (HSA) – Optional pre-tax savings for medical expenses
Unlimited PTO – Flexible time off to recharge, plus paid company holidays

Company

Seneca

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Seneca is a company that develops advanced AI, robotic, and autonomous drone systems.
dateFounded in 2024
location
America, Alabama, USA
people-size11-50 employees
web-link
https://seneca.com

H1B Sponsorship

Seneca has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (4)

Funding

Current Stage
Early Stage
Total Funding
$60M
2025-10-20Series A· $60M
2024-06-01Seed

Recent News

Venture Capital
Seneca Secures $60 Million Funding and Unveils Public Launch
2025-10-28
vcnewsdaily.com
Seneca Launches with $60 Million
2025-10-28
Techmeme
Seneca, which is developing autonomous firefighting drones, raised $60M in seed and Series A rounds led by Caffeinated Capital and Convective Capital (Christopher Marquis/Forbes)
2025-10-26
Company data provided by crunchbase