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UAS Operations Test Engineer

Leidos

Huntsville, ALJob$92–167K/yrSeen 5 days agoSeen in employer's feed 5 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$92–167K/yr
Location
Huntsville, AL
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate Or Private Pilot LicenseSecret clearance

Job overview

Leidos seeks a UAS Operations Test Engineer to support integration and testing of tactical uncrewed aviation systems. The role tests emerging UAS ground control and flight systems in lab and field environments and collaborates with government stakeholders to deliver reliable, mission-ready solutions. The ideal candidate has hands-on UAS operations experience and can work independently. The position is based in Huntsville, Alabama, or requires relocation to that area.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

UAS OperationsAir OperationsPayload OperationsUnmanned Aviation SystemsDCMA 8210-1D ProcessesTechnical ReportingBriefingUAS TestingDoD UAS TestingUAS Command and Control ProtocolsUAS ISR Payload Platforms

Qualifications

BS in Related Field or High School Diploma With 20 Years Flight Operations8+ Years UAS Operations Experience20 Years Flight OperationsPart 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or Private Pilot LicenseSecret ClearanceHuntsville Area Residency or Relocation

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Paid Time Off
401(k) Match

Full job description

Description

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact?

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.

Your greatest work is ahead!

Leidos’ Defense Systems RF Systems UAS Portfolio is seeking a UAS Operations Test Engineer to join our team supporting a team of engineers to support the integration and test of Tactical Uncrewed Aviation Systems. The ideal candidate is a hands-on test engineer with a strong background in UAS operations, capable of working independently in both lab and field environments. You’ll be responsible for testing emerging UAS ground control and flight systems, and collaborating closely with government stakeholders to ensure reliable, mission-ready solutions.

If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading!

Leidos Defense Systems Sector provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions. To explore and learn more, click here (https://www.leidos.com/company/our-business/defense) !

Are you ready to make an impact? Share your resume with us today!

Primary Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop test plans, procedures, and detailed technical reports.

  • Conduct lab, field, and flight testing, including test setup, data collection, and post-test analysis.

  • Analyze and troubleshoot system behavior using standard flight control and test systems to include protocol analyzers and flight replay utilities.

Basic Qualifications

  • BS in a related field from an accredited institution with 8-12 years of applicable UAS operations experience. In lieu of a degree, a High School diploma with 20 years of applicable flight operations is acceptable

  • Hands-on experience with various UAS platforms, performing both Air and Payload Operations.

  • Working knowledge of Unmanned Aviation System components.

  • Working knowledge of DCMA 8210-1D processes.

  • Possession or ability to possess Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (or a private pilot’s license).

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop detailed technical reports and briefings.

  • Must possess and be able to maintain a Secret clearance.

  • Must be a resident of Huntsville, AL or willing to relocate to the Huntsville, AL area.

  • Preferred Qualifications.

  • UAS operational experience.

  • Experience with testing DoD UAS’.

  • Knowledge of UAS command and control protocols.

  • Knowledge of UAS ISR payload platforms.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

October 19, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $92,300.00 - $166,850.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com .

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits .

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [email protected] .

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/) .

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

REQNUMBER: R-00194861

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. Leidos will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment in accordance with relevant Laws. Leidos is an equal opportunity employer/disability/vet.

How this job compares

Set against the 3,016 open Test Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 27, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$92–167K/yr
  • Alabama median$92–165K/yr69 salary ranges
  • US median$105–163K/yr2,083 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $130K, is close to the Alabama median midpoint ($130K) — in the middle half of Test Engineer salary ranges in Alabama.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 91 open Test Engineer jobs in Alabama and 3,016 across the US. 3% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Alabama
Experience
This posting asks for at least 8 years of experience — more than three in four Test Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 2,536 postings).
Education
1,772 of the 3,016 open Test Engineer jobs (59%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 27, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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