{"schemaVersion":"jobsearcher.job.v1","id":"12d5efb3223429805e90eb39","url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/12d5efb3223429805e90eb39","canonicalUrl":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/12d5efb3223429805e90eb39","title":"Flight Test Operator","description":"About Pyka\nPyka’s goal is to provide society with a new form of safe, clean, and cost-effective transportation enabled by autonomous electric aviation.\nTo get there, we’re taking a different approach than most. We're applying our technologies to every industry where autonomous electric aircraft can be useful, starting with the highest value and most dangerous jobs. In doing so, we're building game-changing products manufactured at scale, while perfecting the safety, reliability, and capabilities of our autonomy engine and electric propulsion systems.\nWe design, develop and manufacture an ecosystem of technologies including proprietary flight control software, avionics, high power density motors, motor controllers, batteries, and custom carbon-fiber composite airframes.\nToday, we supply autonomous electric aircraft for cargo transport and crop protection to real-world customers across four separate continents and have secured industry-first regulatory approvals from the FAA. Our cargo aircraft enables remote connectivity, enhances express delivery networks, and ensures fast and reliable shipping of critical supplies to areas in need. Our crop protection aircraft offers agricultural services providers and farmers an autonomous tool to make aerial application safer, more precise, and less harmful to surrounding environments. Both vehicles are highly economical to operate, easy to deploy, and significantly reduce CO2 emissions in their respective industries.\nWhat you work on at Pyka makes people’s lives better now and brings the future of electric aviation one step closer each day.\n\nRole Overview\nPyka is looking for a Flight Test Operator to test and scale the operations of its advanced autonomous aircraft. You will test our new hardware and software features to ensure the success of Pyka’s customer operations around the globe. Your work will focus on testing the continuous operation of Pyka’s aircraft and ground infrastructure.\nThis is a multidisciplinary role that interacts with many internal teams, so written and verbal communication skills are critical. Your work will be instrumental in Pyka’s growth as we build the best safe product for our customers. You will focus on operating at Pyka’s local California test sites, and may deploy to our international customers to support as needed.\nResponsibilities\nExecute continuous operations at Pyka’s test sites by identifying and troubleshooting issues, with the remote help of Pyka’s engineering teams\nConduct reliability test campaigns with Pyka’s autonomous aircraft and ground support infrastructure\nProvide detailed technical feedback to operations and engineering teams to improve Pyka’s product for customer deployment\nFly and test new hardware and software features\nConduct diverse fleet site maintenance activities, involving the aircraft itself and ground infrastructure\nServe as Pilot In Command or Ground Control Operator of experimental / developmental unmanned aircraft\nDeploy customer test sites to support Agricultural and Cargo Operations - 25% of total time.\nPrefered Qualifications\n1-3 years of experience flying fixed wing UAVs / model aircraft or large multirotors\nExperience with ground control and mission planning software\n1–5 years of experience working with and troubleshooting mechanical and electrical systems\nBasic high voltage safety knowledge and comfortable working on 120 VDC, 20 ~ 30 kW systems\nKnowledge of aircraft systems, maintenance, and manuals\nIndependent and motivated, able to self-direct and manage time\nExtreme thoroughness and attention to detail\nExcellent written and verbal communication skills\nWilling to work at test sites in the Central Valley\nPart 61 pilot certificate\nCompensation and Benefits\nFlight Test Operator: $34.50–$39/hr + Equity, Flight Test Operator II: $40–$45/hr + Equity. Compensation will vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Hourly wage ranges are subject to change.\nEmployer-sponsored health, dental, vision, long-term disability and life insurance\nFSA with employer matching\n401(k) plan\nPaid holidays, generous PTO, and additional unpaid time off\nVoluntary short-term disability and life insurance\nPre-tax commuter benefits\nFree catered lunch and plenty of snacks\nExport Control Requirements\nThis position requires access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls. Employment in this position is conditioned on the continued availability of government authorization to authorize release of such items, to the extent required, including without limitation an export license, or other documentation required to establish authorization to receive access to such items.\nCompany may delay commencement of employment, rescind an offer of employment, terminate employment, and/or may modify job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and/or access to Company facilities and information systems, as Company deems appropriate, in order to ensure compliance with applicable government access control restrictions.\n\n-\nWe do not work with external recruiters; if you are an external recruiter, please do not reach out.\nWe may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.","company":"Pyka","rawCompany":"pyka","city":"Alameda","state":"CA","isRemote":false,"isActive":false,"createdAt":"2026-04-12T18:35:00.130Z","occupations":[{"code":"15-1253.00","title":"Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers","slug":"software-quality-assurance-analysts-and-testers"},{"code":"17-3021.00","title":"Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians","slug":"aerospace-engineering-and-operations-technologists-and-technicians"},{"code":"53-2011.00","title":"Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers","slug":"airline-pilots-copilots-and-flight-engineers"}],"industries":[{"code":"336411","title":"Aircraft Manufacturing","slug":"aircraft-manufacturing"},{"code":"334511","title":"Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing","slug":"search-detection-navigation-guidance-aeronautical-and-nautical-system-and-instrument-manufacturing"},{"code":"488190","title":"Other Support Activities for Air Transportation","slug":"other-support-activities-for-air-transportation"}],"jobPosting":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Flight Test Operator","description":"About Pyka\nPyka’s goal is to provide society with a new form of safe, clean, and cost-effective transportation enabled by autonomous electric aviation.\nTo get there, we’re taking a different approach than most. We're applying our technologies to every industry where autonomous electric aircraft can be useful, starting with the highest value and most dangerous jobs. In doing so, we're building game-changing products manufactured at scale, while perfecting the safety, reliability, and capabilities of our autonomy engine and electric propulsion systems.\nWe design, develop and manufacture an ecosystem of technologies including proprietary flight control software, avionics, high power density motors, motor controllers, batteries, and custom carbon-fiber composite airframes.\nToday, we supply autonomous electric aircraft for cargo transport and crop protection to real-world customers across four separate continents and have secured industry-first regulatory approvals from the FAA. Our cargo aircraft enables remote connectivity, enhances express delivery networks, and ensures fast and reliable shipping of critical supplies to areas in need. Our crop protection aircraft offers agricultural services providers and farmers an autonomous tool to make aerial application safer, more precise, and less harmful to surrounding environments. Both vehicles are highly economical to operate, easy to deploy, and significantly reduce CO2 emissions in their respective industries.\nWhat you work on at Pyka makes people’s lives better now and brings the future of electric aviation one step closer each day.\n\nRole Overview\nPyka is looking for a Flight Test Operator to test and scale the operations of its advanced autonomous aircraft. You will test our new hardware and software features to ensure the success of Pyka’s customer operations around the globe. Your work will focus on testing the continuous operation of Pyka’s aircraft and ground infrastructure.\nThis is a multidisciplinary role that interacts with many internal teams, so written and verbal communication skills are critical. Your work will be instrumental in Pyka’s growth as we build the best safe product for our customers. You will focus on operating at Pyka’s local California test sites, and may deploy to our international customers to support as needed.\nResponsibilities\nExecute continuous operations at Pyka’s test sites by identifying and troubleshooting issues, with the remote help of Pyka’s engineering teams\nConduct reliability test campaigns with Pyka’s autonomous aircraft and ground support infrastructure\nProvide detailed technical feedback to operations and engineering teams to improve Pyka’s product for customer deployment\nFly and test new hardware and software features\nConduct diverse fleet site maintenance activities, involving the aircraft itself and ground infrastructure\nServe as Pilot In Command or Ground Control Operator of experimental / developmental unmanned aircraft\nDeploy customer test sites to support Agricultural and Cargo Operations - 25% of total time.\nPrefered Qualifications\n1-3 years of experience flying fixed wing UAVs / model aircraft or large multirotors\nExperience with ground control and mission planning software\n1–5 years of experience working with and troubleshooting mechanical and electrical systems\nBasic high voltage safety knowledge and comfortable working on 120 VDC, 20 ~ 30 kW systems\nKnowledge of aircraft systems, maintenance, and manuals\nIndependent and motivated, able to self-direct and manage time\nExtreme thoroughness and attention to detail\nExcellent written and verbal communication skills\nWilling to work at test sites in the Central Valley\nPart 61 pilot certificate\nCompensation and Benefits\nFlight Test Operator: $34.50–$39/hr + Equity, Flight Test Operator II: $40–$45/hr + Equity. Compensation will vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Hourly wage ranges are subject to change.\nEmployer-sponsored health, dental, vision, long-term disability and life insurance\nFSA with employer matching\n401(k) plan\nPaid holidays, generous PTO, and additional unpaid time off\nVoluntary short-term disability and life insurance\nPre-tax commuter benefits\nFree catered lunch and plenty of snacks\nExport Control Requirements\nThis position requires access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls. Employment in this position is conditioned on the continued availability of government authorization to authorize release of such items, to the extent required, including without limitation an export license, or other documentation required to establish authorization to receive access to such items.\nCompany may delay commencement of employment, rescind an offer of employment, terminate employment, and/or may modify job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and/or access to Company facilities and information systems, as Company deems appropriate, in order to ensure compliance with applicable government access control restrictions.\n\n-\nWe do not work with external recruiters; if you are an external recruiter, please do not reach out.\nWe may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.","datePosted":"2026-04-12T18:35:00.130Z","dateModified":"2026-04-12T18:35:00.130Z","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Pyka","sameAs":"https://jobsearcher.com"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Alameda","addressRegion":"CA","addressCountry":"US"}},"identifier":{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"JobSearcher","value":"12d5efb3223429805e90eb39"},"url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/12d5efb3223429805e90eb39"}}