Hardware Validation Engineer, UAS

📋 Description

• • Flock Safety is seeking a highly skilled Hardware Validation Engineer to play a pivotal role in the advancement of our Drones as First Responder (DFR) initiative. This critical position serves as the vital link between our innovative mechanical designs and the demanding realities of real-world deployment, ensuring the utmost reliability and performance of our cutting-edge aircraft.
• • As a UAS Validation & Test Engineer, your primary responsibility will be the meticulous development and execution of comprehensive test plans. You will be tasked with the rigorous "torture testing" of our aircraft, subjecting them to a wide array of extreme environmental conditions and complex vibration profiles. This deep dive into stress testing is essential to guarantee that our structures and subsystems not only meet but exceed stringent performance requirements, ensuring mission-critical reliability in all operational scenarios.
• • Your day-to-day activities will involve a hands-on approach to validation. You will be instrumental in designing and implementing environmental tests, including assessments for ingress protection against water and dust, and performance under extreme thermal conditions. Furthermore, you will conduct extensive vibration and shock testing to pinpoint resonance frequencies, identify potential structural fatigue points, and understand how these dynamic forces impact the aircraft's integrity and functionality.
• • A key aspect of this role is acting as the crucial feedback loop for our design and systems engineering teams. You will meticulously analyze test data, diagnose the root causes of component failures, and provide actionable insights and recommendations for hardware iterations. This collaborative effort will directly inform design improvements, driving the continuous enhancement of our aircraft's robustness and performance.
• • You will also be expected to "turn wrenches" – demonstrating a practical, hands-on capability with aircraft assembly and disassembly. This is essential for thorough failure analysis post-testing, allowing for a deeper understanding of mechanical issues and facilitating effective repairs and design adjustments.
• • Collaboration is at the core of this role. You will work closely with Design and Systems teams, interpreting complex test data and translating it into concrete suggestions for hardware improvements. Your ability to align these iterations with the Product Requirements Document (PRD) will be paramount.
• • A foundational understanding of quadcopter subsystems and the impact of environmental factors on flight performance is crucial. You will leverage this knowledge to anticipate potential failure modes and design tests that effectively probe these areas.
• • Proficiency with Solidworks for design review purposes will be necessary, enabling you to engage with the design documentation effectively. Familiarity with data acquisition tools for vibration and thermal monitoring will be essential for collecting and analyzing critical test data.
• • During your first 30 days, you will immerse yourself in the Alpha aircraft design, gaining a functional understanding of its subsystems and supporting ongoing test execution and environmental setup. By day 60, you will have collaborated across teams to refine test methodologies and produced your first formal written test reports that directly influence design iterations. By day 90 and beyond, you will achieve full autonomy, owning the end-to-end validation lifecycle from planning and execution to partnering with design engineers to harden the aircraft for field deployment.
• • This role is integral to Flock Safety's mission of building the impossible and scaling intentionally. By ensuring the reliability and resilience of our DFR technology, you will directly contribute to enhancing community safety and enabling proactive crime prevention. Your work will have a tangible impact on the effectiveness and dependability of our safety network.
• • The team at Flock Safety is characterized by high performance, low ego, and a shared sense of urgency and collaboration. We tackle big challenges, move fast, and are committed to continuous improvement. Working here means being part of an intense but deeply rewarding environment for those who are driven to make a significant impact. You will be joining a company with substantial venture funding and a high valuation, poised for significant growth and innovation.
• • This position offers a unique opportunity to learn and grow within a rapidly evolving industry. You will gain invaluable experience in hardware validation, drone technology, and working within a fast-paced, mission-driven organization. The insights gained from your rigorous testing will directly shape the future of our safety platform, providing a sense of accomplishment and direct contribution to our success.