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Skyways designs, builds, and operates fully autonomous long-range cargo aircraft. The company has spent eight years developing and deploying autonomous logistics systems for real-world operations. The V2 aircraft carries 30 lbs up to 500 miles, while the next-generation V3 carries 100 lbs over 1,000+ miles with 20+ hours of endurance. Both use a hybrid-electric architecture that takes off like a helicopter and cruises like a plane, enabling long-range autonomous delivery without traditional runway infrastructure.
Skyways aircraft currently operate across three continents in controlled national airspace under FAA oversight and in support of U.S. military operations. The company is transitioning from prototype development to full-rate production and scaling toward large autonomous cargo fleets. Backed by Y Combinator and a $37M AFWERX STRATFI award from the U.S. Air Force, Skyways is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
In this role, you will develop requirements and interfaces by translating mission and system needs into clear requirements, interface definitions, and acceptance criteria, keeping requirements linked to design decisions and verification evidence. You will integrate aircraft systems by resolving hardware and software interface issues within your workstream, evaluating configuration changes and their effects on connected subsystems, and documenting the configuration used for each test.
You will plan and execute verification activities by developing test procedures and supporting bench, simulation, ground, and flight testing. You will analyze results against acceptance criteria, document discrepancies, and verify corrections. You will investigate system anomalies using flight logs, telemetry, and test data to reproduce problems and evaluate possible causes, working with subsystem owners and Reliability Engineering to validate corrective actions.
You will deliver and communicate by planning assigned work, tracking dependencies, and delivering accurate engineering documents and test results. You will raise risks promptly, contribute constructively in reviews, and give and receive feedback.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Engineering education or equivalent practical experience relevant to aircraft systems, robotics, or other complex hardware and software products
- Demonstrated ability to deliver discrete engineering workstreams independently within a larger project, with consistent quality and appropriate escalation
- Working knowledge of requirements development, interface definition, configuration control, and verification and validation
- Ability to troubleshoot across hardware and software boundaries using structured investigation methods and test evidence
- Clear technical writing and communication, including requirements, test procedures, engineering reports, and constructive design-review feedback
- Practical experience with hardware integration, instrumentation, and test equipment, with disciplined execution of approved test procedures
- Ability to analyze engineering data and automate repeatable analysis using Python or comparable tools
BONUS QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience with autonomous aircraft, robotics, or other complex electromechanical systems
- Familiarity with ArduPilot, MAVLink, DroneCAN, or comparable flight-control and communications tools
- Experience with avionics, navigation, communications, propulsion, power, or flight-control integration
- Experience with simulation, software-in-the-loop or hardware-in-the-loop testing, or requirements-management tools
Note: Due to U.S. government contract requirements, this role is limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or candidates from specific countries authorized under applicable export control regulations.
