Lead Autonomous Flight & Flight Controls Engineer

Lead the flight autonomy behind ASKA’s drive-and-fly mission. Bring vehicle dynamics, control software, simulation, and testing together as we build the intelligence to manage autonomous movement across ground and air.

Lead autonomous-flight and flight-controls engineering under the CTO. You will provide hands‑on technical direction across airborne automation, guidance and control integration, establish verification expectations, and support development from simulation through controlled flight evaluation. This role calls for an experienced aerospace engineer who can connect flight dynamics, real‑time software and test evidence while leading a focused engineering team.

Employment Full‑time proposed

Location & work arrangement Eagle Field Airport, Firebaugh, CA · Palo Alto area or remote for eligible software and analysis work, to be defined; on‑site integration, development and test schedule to be discussed; availability for occasional testing at Eagle Field Airport required, with advance coordination

Technical leadership and delivery of autonomous‑flight and flight‑controls engineering.

Key working interfaces

Reports to the CTO and leads Autonomous Flight & Flight Controls engineers. Coordinates with AI, simulation, avionics, systems and flight-test specialists. The Driving Autonomy lead owns the separate ground‑vehicle discipline.

What you’ll do

• Own technical planning and engineering review for assigned airborne autonomy and flight‑control functions.
• Develop measurable requirements and acceptance criteria with aircraft systems, safety, avionics and flight‑test engineers.
• Guide control‑law, guidance, mode‑management and airborne software work, with documented responsibility for each function.
• Review stability, robustness, control authority, actuator limits, timing and degraded‑condition behavior using justified analysis methods.
• Lead integration and verification of controller, navigation and aircraft interfaces, including configuration and calibration control.
• Set staged SIL, HIL, rig and flight‑evaluation objectives with simulation and test specialists.
• Use test‑data analysis and system identification to resolve discrepancies and substantiate engineering release recommendations.
• Mentor engineers, coordinate technical reviews and communicate readiness, resource needs and dependencies to the CTO and program manager.
• Own and continually improve evaluation methods for assigned flight‑autonomy and control functions with systems and test specialists; maintain measurable acceptance criteria, repeatable checks and traceable coverage, and use discrepancies to improve subsequent verification.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, electrical, controls or computer engineering, or equivalent demonstrated aerospace engineering expertise.
• 10+ years in aircraft GNC, flight controls, airborne automation or closely related development, including 3+ years of technical leadership.
• Demonstrated responsibility for an aircraft control or autonomy function validated through ground and flight testing.
• Strong aircraft flight‑dynamics and control‑theory knowledge, including stability, robustness, estimation and actuator constraints.
• Practical experience with real‑time C/C++ software and MATLAB/Simulink or equivalent control‑design tools.
• Experience integrating airborne software and avionics interfaces and maintaining requirements‑to‑test traceability.
• Ability to lead evidence‑based reviews and work effectively with pilots, test engineers, systems specialists and assurance personnel.

Preferred qualifications

VTOL or UAS development; model‑based software workflows; system identification; HIL/iron‑bird testing; familiarity with DO-178C, DO-331 and aircraft systems‑assurance practices as applicable to the assigned scope.

AI tools and automation: Strongly preferred where programming is a substantial part of the role: hands‑on use of Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot or equivalent tools for development, debugging, test automation, code review or analysis scripts. Include relevant Python, MATLAB or other scripting experience. Provide a specific example, your contribution, any measured time saved or quality improvement, and how you verified the result. Equivalent tools are welcome.

We welcome transferable experience from related industries. You do not need to meet every preferred qualification. Tell us what you have delivered and how your skills apply to this role.

Location & working arrangements

Eagle Field Airport · 11100 W Eagle Ave, Firebaugh, CA 93622

Eagle Field Airport is our primary development and manufacturing location. Palo Alto area or remote arrangements may be considered for engineering work that does not require hands‑on access. All current openings require availability to participate in development and flight‑testing activities at Eagle Field Airport from time to time, with advance coordination. Flight‑test roles require on‑site availability for preparation and campaigns. Scheduling and travel arrangements will be discussed for each role.

About ASKA

At ASKA, we are on a mission to build the world’s first AI sensor fusion and digital twin system that manages autonomous driving and autonomous flying in one vehicle. We are bringing ground and air autonomy together to support the warfighter—moving critical supplies, reaching people in need, and reducing exposure in dangerous environments. Our team works across aircraft engineering, intelligent software, electric propulsion, and advanced manufacturing, with development and testing at Eagle Field Airport in California. Bring your expertise. Take ownership. Help build technology that matters.

ASKA welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and relevant experience. For questions or application accommodations, message the recruiting team .