Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
Our commercial team is building the business that brings Poseidon’s aircraft into the world. This means understanding where our technology can create the most value, developing markets, and building the customer relationships and partnerships that support a new approach to air cargo.
As a Commercial GTM Associate, you will be on the frontlines of that effort, building customer relationships, developing new markets, launching services, and selling air cargo. You will work across commercial strategy, partnerships, and regulatory and operational requirements to close new cargo business. The role involves frequent travel and close collaboration with customers, partners, and our engineering, regulatory, and operations teams. You will take ownership from the first customer conversation through commercial agreements, service launch, and continued growth.
We are looking for a generalist with a high work rate, intellectual curiosity, and the resourcefulness to make progress in unfamiliar environments. You should be excited by the breadth of work involved in building a company and willing to take responsibility for problems whose solutions are not yet obvious. Your understanding of customers and markets will help shape both our commercial direction and what we build.
Help develop and execute Poseidon’s commercial go-to-market strategy across domestic and international markets.
Build relationships with customers, operating partners, and other organizations central to bringing new air cargo services into operation.
Identify commercial opportunities and work through the customer, economic, and operational questions that determine their potential.
Close new cargo business, taking ownership from initial outreach through proposals, commercial agreements, service launch, and account growth.
Work with our regulatory and operations teams to understand market-entry requirements and advance commercial opportunities.
Bring customer insights into Poseidon’s product, partnership, and market-entry decisions.
Help build the commercial capabilities and approaches that allow Poseidon to grow.
A high work rate and a strong sense of responsibility for the outcome.
Evidence of learning quickly, taking initiative, and accomplishing something difficult.
The ability to reason from first principles and form a clear view when information is incomplete.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to earn trust across different backgrounds and disciplines.
Comfort moving between analytical work, customer relationships, and hands-on execution.
Willingness to travel frequently to develop customer relationships and advance commercial opportunities.
Receptiveness to direct feedback and the ambition to take on progressively greater responsibility.
Curiosity about technology, logistics, and the practical work of building a business.
A background in air cargo or logistics is valuable, but not required. Nontraditional backgrounds are welcome. We care more about how quickly you learn and what you are capable of becoming than a particular degree, industry background, or number of years of experience.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
Avionics is the electrical and electronic hardware on our cargo aircraft, its mission systems, and the ground control station that operates it. As a Senior Avionics Engineer you will own that architecture. You will decide how the aircraft is powered, what computers and actuators it flies with, how its systems communicate, and how it behaves when hardware fails. You will carry those decisions through design, build, qualification, and flight test, and set the technical bar for the engineers around you.
Own the electrical and avionics architecture of the aircraft, mission systems, and ground control station, including redundancy and failure behavior
Define the power system architecture, including generation, storage, distribution, and protection, and own the electrical load analysis
Lead selection and qualification of flight computers, mission computers, actuators, sensors, radios, and datalinks
Define the data bus and network architecture across the aircraft and ground control station
Own interface control documents between avionics, flight software, GNC, propulsion, and airframe
Set standards for schematics, wire harness design, grounding, bonding, and shielding
Plan and lead EMI/EMC and environmental qualification testing
Define the flight test instrumentation architecture with the flight test team
Lead root cause analysis of avionics hardware failures in ground and flight test, including travel to our flight test site
Support system safety assessments and certification evidence for avionics hardware
Manage avionics suppliers and outside test labs
Lead design reviews and mentor other avionics engineers
B.S. in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience
5+ years designing and integrating avionics or electrical systems on aircraft, spacecraft, or comparable vehicles
Owned the electrical or avionics architecture of a vehicle or major subsystem from concept through test
Designed power distribution systems, including circuit protection and load analysis
Took avionics hardware through integration and ground or flight test on a real vehicle
Experience with redundancy design and failure mode analysis for safety-critical hardware
Led design reviews and set technical direction for other engineers
Experience with uncrewed aircraft, including command and control datalinks and ground control station hardware
Experience integrating mission systems or payloads
Experience with fly-by-wire actuation systems
Experience qualifying hardware to DO-160 or developing hardware under DO-254
Familiarity with ARP4754A and ARP4761 system safety processes
Familiarity with MIL-STD-704, MIL-STD-461, and AS50881
Experience with flight test instrumentation and data acquisition systems
Private pilot certificate or Part 107 certificate
Avionics connects every system on the aircraft: power, propulsion, flight controls, mission systems, and the link to the ground. You will make the architecture decisions for all of it, at a stage where those decisions are still yours to make. You will see your design fly on an aircraft that carries two tons.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
GNC is how our cargo aircraft knows where it is, decides where to go, and flies there with no pilot on board. As a Senior GNC Engineer you will own the GNC architecture. You will decide how the aircraft is controlled, how it estimates its state, how it behaves when sensors or actuators fail, and what evidence is needed before each new part of the envelope is flown. You will do a large share of the design work yourself and set the technical bar for the engineers around you.
Own the GNC architecture, including control law structure, navigation solution, guidance modes, and redundancy management
Design flight control laws for all phases of flight, including takeoff, landing, and failure cases
Design the navigation and state estimation solution, including sensor selection criteria with avionics
Define the control response to sensor, actuator, and engine failures, and to loss of link
Set stability margin and performance requirements and show that the design meets them across the envelope
Own the fidelity of the 6-DOF simulation and its validation against flight data
Define GNC requirements and interfaces with flight software, avionics, and flight sciences
Define the verification approach across simulation, hardware-in-the-loop, and flight test
Lead GNC flight clearance for envelope expansion and support flight test on site
Lead system identification and model updates from flight data
Support system safety assessments and certification evidence for the flight control system
Lead design reviews and mentor other GNC engineers
B.S. in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience
5+ years designing guidance, navigation, or control systems for aircraft, spacecraft, or comparable vehicles
Owned the GNC design for a vehicle or major flight phase from requirements through flight
Algorithms you designed have flown on a real vehicle
Supported a flight test campaign, including flight clearance and post-flight model correlation
Designed control or navigation behavior for sensor or actuator failures
Led design reviews and set technical direction for other engineers
GNC experience on fixed-wing uncrewed aircraft
Experience with autonomous takeoff and landing
Experience designing redundancy management for flight control sensors and actuators
Experience building a simulation environment from the ground up
Experience with model-based development and autocode under DO-178C and DO-331
Experience with flight control system certification or military airworthiness
M.S. or Ph.D. in controls, dynamics, or a related field
There is no pilot to fall back on. The GNC system flies the aircraft from takeoff to landing, and you will decide how it does that, at a stage where the architecture is still yours to set. You will see your design fly on an aircraft that carries two tons.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
Test and Validation finds problems on the ground before they show up in flight. As a Test and Validation Engineer you will build and run the hardware-in-the-loop benches, simulation environments, and automated validators that every flight software release and every piece of avionics hardware must pass before it goes on the aircraft. You will also design and run environmental and durability tests on aircraft hardware. The faster you find faults, the faster the aircraft flies.
Bring up and maintain hardware-in-the-loop benches with flight computers, actuators, sensors, and power hardware in the loop
Maintain the software-in-the-loop environment and the real-time simulation that drives the benches
Integrate vehicle, sensor, and actuator models from GNC and flight sciences into the simulation
Write validators: automated checks that evaluate simulation, bench, and flight data against requirements
Build automated regression testing that runs each flight software release through simulation and hardware-in-the-loop
Develop fault injection for sensor, actuator, data bus, and power failures
Build data pipelines and analysis tooling for test and flight data
Design and run environmental and durability tests on aircraft hardware, including vibration, thermal, and ingress
Integrate instrumentation and data acquisition on test rigs
Write test plans and procedures from requirements and failure mode analyses, and report results
Investigate anomalies found in test and drive root cause with the owning team
Support aircraft ground test and flight test with validators and data analysis, including travel to our flight test site
B.S. in electrical, mechanical, aerospace, or computer engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience
2+ years testing complex electromechanical or embedded systems
Proficiency in Python and working knowledge of C or C++
Experience building or operating hardware-in-the-loop, software-in-the-loop, or automated test systems
Hands-on electrical debugging skills and familiarity with common vehicle data buses
Test experience on aircraft, UAS, spacecraft, or automotive systems
Experience with real-time simulation platforms such as Speedgoat, dSPACE, or NI
Experience with environmental testing to DO-160 or MIL-STD-810
Experience with actuators, motor controllers, or power systems
Experience with continuous integration for embedded software
Familiarity with FMEA and reliability analysis
Experience analyzing flight or vehicle test data
Every flight software release and every avionics box passes through what you build before it reaches the aircraft. You will work with nearly every engineering team, see problems before anyone else does, and directly set how fast the program can fly safely.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
As an Aerospace Engineer at Poseidon Aerospace, you will shape the aerodynamic and performance characteristics of our next-generation composite aircraft. Your work will include CFD modeling, aerodynamic optimization, performance analysis, and test correlation. You will help translate flight objectives such as speed, range, and efficiency into manufacturable aircraft. The role combines analytical work with hands-on testing and collaboration across design and manufacturing teams.
Responsibilities:
Design and validate aerodynamic surfaces, configurations, and control geometries using CFD analysis and historical data
Support flight dynamics modeling and simulation for stability, control, and performance assessment
Provide input on propulsion integration, cooling airflow, and control surface sizing
Work with mechanical and manufacturing engineers to ensure aerodynamic designs are practical and efficient to produce
Conduct aerodynamic load analyses to ensure the airframe is supported
Create and maintain aerodynamic databases, performance models, and engineering documentation
Correlate CFD and analytical predictions with flight test data
Participate in flight testing and data review to compare measured results with predicted performance
Aid in the development of flight simulation models
Ideal Qualifications:
Proficiency with CFD tools such as ANSYS Fluent, Star-CCM+, XFLR5
Experience using CAD software such as Fusion 360, SolidWorks, CATIA, or NX for geometry creation and surface preparation
Strong understanding of aerodynamics, stability and control, and aircraft performance
Familiarity with mesh design and refinement including fluent meshing
Working knowledge of structural analysis and load validation
Ability to interpret flight test data and create analytical performance models
Understanding of composite design and manufacturing methods for aerodynamic surfaces
Independent, practical engineer comfortable in a hands-on development environment
Nice to Have:
Experience with flight testing, data acquisition, or post-flight data analysis
Experience with X-Plane aircraft design
Background in seaplane design
Experience with wind tunnel or scaled model testing
Programming skills in Python or MATLAB for CFD and performance automation
Basic experience with FEA for assessing load paths or aerodynamic-induced stresses
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
As a Composite Technician at Poseidon Aerospace you will be responsible for the fabrication and assembly of advanced composite components for aerospace prototype and development programs. This role requires a strong understanding of composite materials, custom tooling, and hands-on manufacturing techniques. The ideal candidate is a skilled fabricator who can interpret engineering concepts, build tooling or jigs as needed, and support one-off as well as high-rate composite builds from start to finish.
Responsibilities:
Fabricate composite components using hand layup, resin infusion, and bonding techniques.
Build, modify, and maintain custom molds, fixtures, and jigs to support prototype part fabrication and assembly.
Collaborate closely with engineers and designers to interpret 3D models, drawings, and verbal instructions.
Develop and refine layup methods, cure cycles, and fabrication approaches for new designs.
Set up and monitor vacuum bagging, and oven curing processes.
Trim, drill, and assemble complex composite parts to tight tolerances using manual and power tools.
Perform surface preparation, adhesive bonding, and final finishing operations.
Maintain traceability of materials and processes to meet aerospace documentation requirements.
Identify and communicate design or manufacturability issues and propose practical solutions.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives in prototype and production transition efforts.
Ideal Qualifications:
3+ years of hands-on composite fabrication experience (prototype, marine, or aerospace environment preferred).
Proficiency with hand layup, prepreg handling, and vacuum bagging techniques.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, CAD models, and process specifications.
Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Comfortable working with epoxy resins, adhesives, and solvents while following safety procedures.
Nice to Have:
Experience fabricating or modifying jigs, fixtures, or tooling using metal, wood, or composite materials.
Familiarity with precision measurement tools and quality inspection processes.
Familiarity with 3D modeling software.
Experience working in a fast paced prototyping environment and large scale production.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
About the role:
We are looking for a Director of Government Relations to own Poseidon's engagement with the federal government across both the legislative and executive branches. You will run our authorizations and appropriations strategy and our executive and interagency strategy, with the objective of converting mission needs into funded programs and enduring support for Poseidon's platforms.
You will personally carry the work on the Hill and across the agencies, and as the function grows, you will build and lead the team behind it. You should be a self-starter who finds the path to an outcome and walks it.
What you'll do:
Congressional and legislative strategy
Define and lead Poseidon's congressional strategy across the NDAA, defense, and homeland security appropriations, and oversight.
Identify, draft, and advocate for authorization and report language that supports Poseidon's platforms and the industrial base behind them.
Drive annual appropriations and authorization campaigns to support program starts, plus-ups, and multi-year funding profiles that have direct and material impact on revenue.
Build and maintain deep, trust-based relationships with Members and staff on HASC, SASC, HAC-D, SAC-D, and related subcommittees.
Monitor, analyze, and engage the annual congressional policymaking process, with particular focus on appropriations and defense and homeland security policy.
Executive branch and interagency strategy
Engage the executive branch and interagency at senior levels to shape requirements, resourcing, and policy in Poseidon's favor.
Draft Poseidon's congressional and executive-branch requests, and determine when, where, and how Poseidon can drive favorable outcomes.
Serve as the primary relationship owner across relevant executive agencies and offices, translating their priorities into Poseidon's program strategy and vice versa.
Build constructive working relationships with regulators to streamline the approvals Poseidon needs to operate and test.
Function-building and cross-functional leadership
Design, implement, and drive GR strategy across multiple business lines and spanning multiple fiscal years, aligned to corporate strategy.
Work with growth and business-line leadership to identify business and policy opportunities and advise on the legislative and resourcing strategies to capture them.
Lead coordination across communications, legal, corporate development, and engineering to execute in support of company-wide priorities.
Stand up the systems, cadence, and eventually the team that scale the GR function as Poseidon grows.
Outreach, representation, and political engagement
Draft and manage Poseidon's engagement materials: white papers, one-pagers, decks, talking points, testimony, and hearing prep.
Plan and execute Member and staff visits, demonstrations, and facility tours.
Manage external lobbyists and consultants, and represent Poseidon in industry coalitions, trade associations, and think tanks.
Support Poseidon's Political Action Committee priorities and strategy.
Required qualifications:
7+ years of experience in the national security, government relations, or federal legislative or executive arena, with significant Capitol Hill engagement.
Extensive defense and national security experience on Capitol Hill, in the executive branch, or in a comparable defense-industry government-relations position.
Demonstrated success planning and implementing strategies that influence change in the legislative, policy, and budget process, with a track record of outcomes through the NDAA and defense or homeland security appropriations.
Deep, working knowledge of PPBE, the U.S. federal appropriations and authorization processes, and how requirements map to funding lines, schedules, and risk, including the roles of executive agencies, the White House, the Senate, and the House.
One of the following profiles: professional staff on HASC, SASC, HAC-D, or SAC-D (or service for a senior appropriator), or current in-house government-relations experience at a defense technology company.
Ability to build coalitions and maintain relationships with key congressional and executive-branch officials and with industry and trade associations.
Willingness to register as an individual lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
Based in and working from our Washington, DC office in person. Travel approximately 25% or greater.
U.S. Person. Bachelor's degree required; advanced degrees welcome but not required.
Preferred qualifications:
Active or eligible TS/SCI.
Established bipartisan relationships across the Armed Services and Appropriations committees and with senior executive-branch and combatant-command stakeholders.
Experience building a government-relations function from scratch rather than inheriting a mature process.
Fluency in defense acquisition and the policy levers, including export control, that govern aerospace and autonomy.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
Flight software is the code that runs on the flight computers of our cargo aircraft. As a Flight Software Engineer you will write deterministic, real-time C++ that reads sensors, commands actuators and propulsion, runs the control laws our GNC team designs, and keeps the aircraft safe when something fails. You will write the requirements for your code and test it from unit tests through hardware-in-the-loop. Then you will support it on the aircraft through ground runs and flight test.
Develop real-time embedded flight software in C++
Write drivers and interfaces for sensors, actuators, engine controllers, and data buses (CAN, ARINC 429, serial, Ethernet)
Implement fault detection and response, including redundancy management, degraded modes, and lost-link behavior
Implement the GNC team’s algorithms in flight code and verify them against simulation
Define software requirements and interfaces with avionics, GNC, and flight test, and trace them to tests
Write unit tests and extend software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop coverage
Build telemetry, logging, and command paths between the aircraft and the ground station
Support aircraft integration, ground testing, and flight test, including travel to our flight test site
Debug flight software in the lab and from flight data
Participate in code and design reviews
B.S. in computer science, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience
2+ years of professional C or C++ development
Professional experience developing software for an embedded, real-time, or safety-critical system (aircraft, spacecraft, automotive, robotics, or medical)
Experience debugging software on real hardware
Flight software experience on crewed or uncrewed aircraft, or on spacecraft
RTOS or bare-metal development, with a working understanding of scheduling, timing, and memory
Modern C++ in production under embedded constraints
Familiarity with DO-178C or a comparable standard such as ISO 26262
Python for tooling, test automation, and flight data analysis
Clear technical writing
Flight software touches every system on the aircraft: avionics, propulsion, flight controls, and the ground station. You will work across all of them and can go deep on the ones that interest you most. You will work directly with flight hardware and watch your code fly an aircraft that carries two tons.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
As a Flight Test Engineer at Poseidon Aerospace, you will lead the planning, preparation, and execution of flight and ground test campaigns across all Poseidon Aerospace flight platforms . You will bridge the gap between design engineering and real-world operations, taking full vehicle platforms from the laboratory environments straight to the flight line. This role requires a systems-level understanding of aircraft, a highly structured and safety-first approach to test execution, and the ability to analyze complex telemetry data into clear, actionable engineering results.
Test Planning & Coordination: Develop comprehensive flight test plans, test cards, and functional hazard analyses (FHA) for full-scale autonomous aircraft systems and subsystems.
Flight Line Execution: Act as a Test Director or Responsible Engineer during ground runs, taxi tests, and envelope-expansion flight test events.
Data & Telemetry Analysis: Monitor real-time telemetry during flights. Collect, process, and interpret flight test data using scripting tools to assess vehicle performance, stability, and control, overall system performance, engine performance, and fuel system performance.
Instrumentation & Integration: Define requirements for and support the installation of flight test instrumentation (FTI), sensors (strain gauges, load cells, pitot-static systems), and data acquisition systems onboard the test assets.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Avionics, Propulsion, Flight Controls, and Structural design, Flight Sciences, and Airplane Configuration Design teams to define objective pass/fail validation criteria.
Safety & Operations: Lead pre-flight briefings and post-test debriefs. Enforce strict safety protocols on the flight line, identifying operational risks and implementing rapid mitigation strategies.
Reporting & Documentation: Maintain meticulous traceability between regulatory/design requirements and test results. Write formal flight test reports documenting system anomalies, performance metrics, and airworthiness findings.
Experience: 5+ years as an experimental flight test engineer, or in aerospace systems validation, or in UAS/aviation flight operations.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in related field or equivalent experience
Airplane Familiarization: Overall airplane-level familiarization, including aircraft operations and performance across fixed-wing platforms.
Testing Rigor: Proven track record drafting detailed flight test cards, managing test configurations, and operating within highly structured flight test environments.
Data Tools: Proficiency in MATLAB, Python, or similar languages for processing, reducing, and visualizing large flight-log datasets.
Systems Familiarity: Strong foundational knowledge of data acquisition systems (DAQ), telemetry hardware, and sensor calibration.
Field Readiness: Hands-on problem solver comfortable troubleshooting complex electrical, mechanical, or software anomalies on the flight line. Willingness to work outdoors at active test ranges under varying weather conditions.
FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate or a private pilot’s license (PPL).
Experience making aviation-standard VHF radio calls and communicating clearly in high-workload control room environments.
Background working with heavy or large-scale remotely operated vehicles / autonomous systems (Group 3-5 UAS).
Familiarity with FAA experimental certification processes, airworthiness standards, or military test protocols (MIL-STD).
Basic CAD experience for designing simple test brackets, fixtures, or harness layouts.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
GNC is how our cargo aircraft knows where it is, decides where to go, and flies there with no pilot on board. As a GNC Engineer you will design guidance, navigation, and control algorithms, prove them in simulation, and work with flight software to get them onto the aircraft. You will then support flight test and use the data to improve both the models and the algorithms.
Design and tune flight control laws for all phases of flight, including takeoff and landing
Develop navigation and state estimation algorithms that fuse GNSS, inertial, and air data sensors
Develop guidance algorithms for trajectory following and autonomous takeoff and landing
Design sensor and actuator fault detection and the control response to failures
Build and maintain 6-DOF simulation models of the aircraft, sensors, actuators, and environment
Analyze stability, control margins, and performance across the flight envelope, including Monte Carlo analysis
Work with flight software to implement algorithms in flight code and verify the implementation against the design
Verify algorithms in software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing
Support flight test planning and execution, including travel to our flight test site
Analyze flight data to validate models, identify aircraft dynamics, and refine gains
B.S. in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience
2+ years designing guidance, navigation, or control algorithms for aircraft, spacecraft, or comparable vehicles
Strong grounding in flight dynamics and classical and modern control theory
Experience building or using 6-DOF simulation to design and verify algorithms
Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink or Python, and working knowledge of C++
GNC experience on fixed-wing aircraft, crewed or uncrewed
Algorithms you designed have flown on a real vehicle
Experience with Kalman filtering and GNSS/INS integration
Experience with autonomous takeoff and landing
Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing
Experience with system identification from flight test data
M.S. or Ph.D. in controls, dynamics, or a related field
There is no pilot to fall back on. The algorithms you design fly the aircraft from takeoff to landing. You will work from the math through simulation to flight test, and watch your control laws fly an aircraft that carries two tons.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
Poseidon is looking for a Head of Finance to own our finance function and help shape how we fund and scale the company. You will lead accounting, FP&A, treasury, tax, and financial operations while partnering with leadership on planning, capital allocation, and financing strategy. This is a hands-on role for someone comfortable moving between long-term decisions and day-to-day execution.
Own accounting, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, tax, treasury, procurement, and cash management.
Provide leadership with a clear view of performance, liquidity, runway, and future capital needs.
Develop Poseidon’s capital strategy across equity, loans, credit facilities, equipment financing, and leases.
Lead financing processes and manage relationships with banks, lenders, and leasing providers.
Evaluate major equipment purchases and investments based on return, cash flow, risk, and financing options.
Build scalable financial systems, controls, and processes.
Support fundraising, investor reporting, board materials, audits, and financial diligence.
Manage external accounting, tax, audit, and financial partners.
You have at least five years of relevant finance experience, including:
Experience leading finance at an early-stage, high-growth, technology, industrial, or R&D-driven company.
Strong hands-on experience across accounting, FP&A, treasury, and operational finance.
Experience evaluating or securing loans, equipment financing, leases, or other forms of capital.
Experience building financial systems and processes from the ground up.
The ability to move comfortably between strategic planning, external negotiations, and detailed execution.
Excellent analytical, organizational, negotiation, and communication skills.
High integrity, sound judgment, and a strong sense of ownership.
Experience with capital-intensive businesses, lender relationships, venture financing, or non-dilutive funding is a plus.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
The Lead Mechanical Engineer will own the structural and mechanical design of major aircraft assemblies from concept through flight testing.
This role is responsible for setting technical direction, leading design reviews, managing subsystem interfaces, and supporting other mechanical engineers. It is a hands-on engineering position that requires detailed involvement in CAD, analysis, manufacturing, assembly, and testing.
Lead the design of primary aircraft structures, mechanisms, and major airframe assemblies
Develop composite and metallic structures, joints, interfaces, and mounting systems
Define structural load paths, design requirements, margins, and validation methods
Perform and review hand calculations and finite element analysis
Evaluate strength, stiffness, buckling, fatigue, vibration, and composite failure modes
Lead preliminary and critical design reviews
Own CAD assemblies, production drawings, bills of materials, tolerances, and design releases
Manage mechanical interfaces between the airframe, propulsion, avionics, flight controls, landing systems, and other subsystems
Design aircraft mechanisms, including control surfaces, doors, landing gear, actuation systems, and deployable systems
Work with manufacturing to develop tooling, assembly processes, inspection methods, and repair procedures
Plan and support component, structural, subsystem, and vehicle-level testing
Investigate failures, determine root causes, and implement corrective actions
Mentor mechanical engineers and review their design and analysis work
Support aircraft assembly, integration, ground testing, and flight testing
Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
7 or more years of relevant mechanical, structural, or aerospace engineering experience
Experience designing primary aircraft structures or large composite airframes
Experience with bonded composite structures, sandwich panels, bonded inserts, and hybrid composite-metallic assemblies
Experience with aircraft mechanisms, actuation systems, control surfaces, doors, landing gear, or deployable systems
Knowledge of composite failure criteria, buckling, fatigue, vibration, modal analysis, or damage tolerance
Experience taking safety-critical hardware from concept through manufacturing and testing
Strong proficiency with CAD software such as Fusion, SolidWorks, CATIA, NX, or Creo
Strong proficiency with finite element analysis tools such as ANSYS, Nastran, Abaqus, Fusion Simulation, or similar
Ability to verify analysis using hand calculations and first-principles methods
Strong understanding of structural mechanics, load paths, joint design, material behavior, and mechanical failure modes
Experience applying GD&T and mechanical tolerancing to production drawings
Experience designing for manufacturing, assembly, inspection, maintenance, and repair
Experience leading technical reviews and making design decisions across multiple engineering teams
Comfortable working directly with aircraft hardware, prototypes, test fixtures, and shop tools
Experience designing structures for marine environments
Experience developing structural test plans, fixtures, instrumentation, and acceptance criteria
Familiarity with FAA certification, military airworthiness, or experimental flight-test programs
Proficiency with MATLAB or Python for engineering analysis
Experience with product lifecycle management and configuration control systems
Candidates who are not yet qualified for a Lead position may apply to our Mechanical Engineer openings.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
This program is full-time and in person based in San Francisco
The Maine Composites Bridge program invests in Maine's industrial future by providing local composite technicians an opportunity to participate in advanced aerospace manufacturing at Poseidon's headquarters in San Francisco. Drawing on Maine's rich heritage in naval manufacturing, participants gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge aerospace applications before returning to apply these specialized skills in Maine's manufacturing ecosystem with Poseidon.
About the Job:
As a composite technician at Poseidon Aerospace you will be responsible for the fabrication and assembly of advanced composite components for aerospace prototype and development programs. This role requires a strong understanding of composite materials, custom tooling, and hands-on manufacturing techniques. The ideal candidate is a skilled fabricator who can interpret engineering concepts, build tooling or jigs as needed, and support one-off as well as high-rate composite builds from start to finish.
Responsibilities:
Fabricate composite components using hand layup, resin infusion, and bonding techniques.
Build, modify, and maintain custom molds, fixtures, and jigs to support prototype part fabrication and assembly.
Collaborate closely with engineers and designers to interpret 3D models, drawings, and verbal instructions.
Develop and refine layup methods, cure cycles, and fabrication approaches for new designs.
Set up and monitor vacuum bagging, and oven curing processes.
Trim, drill, and assemble complex composite parts to tight tolerances using manual and power tools.
Perform surface preparation, adhesive bonding, and final finishing operations.
Maintain traceability of materials and processes to meet aerospace documentation requirements.
Identify and communicate design or manufacturability issues and propose practical solutions.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives in prototype and production transition efforts.
Ideal Qualifications:
3+ years of hands-on composite fabrication experience (prototype, marine, or aerospace environment preferred).
Proficiency with hand layup, prepreg handling, and vacuum bagging techniques.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, CAD models, and process specifications.
Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Comfortable working with epoxy resins, adhesives, and solvents while following safety procedures.
Nice to Have:
Experience fabricating or modifying jigs, fixtures, or tooling using metal, wood, or composite materials.
Familiarity with precision measurement tools and quality inspection processes.
Familiarity with 3D modeling software.
Experience working in a fast paced prototyping environment and large scale production.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
Avionics is the electrical and electronic hardware on our cargo aircraft, its mission systems, and the ground control station that operates it. As an Avionics Engineer you will help define that architecture and then build it: power systems, flight and mission computers, actuators, sensors, datalinks, wire harnesses, and instrumentation. You will take hardware from block diagram to bench to aircraft, and support it through ground and flight test.
Contribute to the electrical and avionics architecture of the aircraft, mission systems, and ground control station
Design and integrate power generation, storage, and distribution, and maintain the electrical load analysis
Select and integrate flight computers, mission computers, actuators, sensors, radios, and datalinks
Produce system schematics, interface control documents, and wire harness drawings
Support harness fabrication, installation, and checkout on the aircraft
Configure and troubleshoot data buses (CAN, ARINC 429, RS-232/485, Ethernet)
Design grounding, bonding, and shielding to control EMI/EMC
Specify and install flight test instrumentation and data acquisition hardware
Build and maintain bench and hardware-in-the-loop test setups
Write and run acceptance and functional test procedures for avionics hardware
Troubleshoot hardware on the aircraft during ground and flight test, including travel to our flight test site
Work with flight software, GNC, airframe, propulsion, and flight test on interfaces and installation
B.S. in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience
2+ years designing or integrating electrical and electronic systems on vehicles (aircraft, UAS, spacecraft, or automotive)
Proficiency with schematic capture or harness design tools such as Altium, AutoCAD Electrical, or Capital
Hands-on experience debugging hardware with multimeters, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers
Working knowledge of power distribution, grounding, and common vehicle data buses
Avionics experience on crewed or uncrewed aircraft
Wire harness design and fabrication to aerospace standards such as AS50881
Familiarity with DO-160, DO-254, MIL-STD-704, or MIL-STD-461
Experience integrating antennas, GPS, radios, or datalinks
Experience with electromechanical actuators or motor controllers
Experience with flight test instrumentation and data acquisition systems
PCB design for breakout boards or signal conditioning
Python for test automation and data analysis
Private pilot certificate or Part 107 certificate
Avionics connects every system on the aircraft: power, propulsion, flight controls, mission systems, and the link to the ground. You will design hardware, build it, install it, and see it fly on an aircraft that carries two tons.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
As a Composites Engineer with Poseidon Aerospace you will bridge design and fabrication for advanced aerospace structures. This hands-on position focuses on developing and supporting composite manufacturing processes, tooling, and assembly methods used to produce prototype and production airframe components. The ideal candidate possesses strong problem solving and project management skills and combines engineering fundamentals with practical, shop-floor experience. They are equally comfortable in CAD and on the production floor, supporting technicians, solving problems, and refining build methods in real time.
Responsibilities:
Design, fabricate and procure tooling, molds, jigs, and fixtures required for fabrication and assembly.
Develop and document manufacturing processes for composite airframe components, including layup, bonding, curing, trimming, drilling, and assembly.
Collaborate closely with design engineering to ensure manufacturability, structural integrity, and production efficiency of composite parts and assemblies.
Work directly with technicians on the floor to support prototype builds, troubleshoot issues, and optimize build quality and efficiency.
Define material handling, kitting, and cure cycle parameters to ensure process consistency and compliance with specifications.
Support prototype builds and transition new designs to production, troubleshooting issues on the shop floor.
Develop detailed work instructions, travelers, and manufacturing documentation.
Analyze process capability and identify opportunities for cost reduction, yield improvement, and defect prevention.
Support non-conformance investigations and implement corrective/preventive actions.
Interface with suppliers on composite materials, tooling, and equipment.
Provide training, mentoring and technical guidance to production technicians on new processes or tooling.
Maintain accurate BOM information for all airframe components and subsystems.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, lean manufacturing efforts, and digital manufacturing integration.
Ideal Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or Materials Engineering or equivalent technical experience.
2–5 years of hands-on composite fabrication or manufacturing engineering experience in aerospace or related industries.
Strong working knowledge of composite materials (carbon fiber, fiberglass, epoxy systems) and associated processes (hand layup, resin infusion, RTM, bonding).
Demonstrated experience supporting technicians and shop-floor operations.
Ability to design and develop tooling and fixtures using CAD software
Comfortable working with hand tools, measuring equipment, and basic shop machinery when developing or validating processes.
Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail in a fast-paced, prototype-oriented environment.
Strong understanding of GD&T and the ability to apply proper tolerancing to tooling designs and composite fabrication drawings.
Nice to Have:
Familiarity with PLM/MES/ERP systems to help track product lifecycle management and manufacturing processes.
Experience planning and enforcing project management timelines for complex, multifaceted projects.
Experience establishing/maintaining revision control and change management processes.
Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles, 5S and process optimization methods.
Experience with CAM tools for fabricating tooling or integrating with manufacturing process documentation.
Regulatory Awareness: Familiarity with FAA or DoD requirements for composite structures.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
As a Manufacturing Engineer at Poseidon Aerospace, you will design and machine the tooling that brings our composite aircraft to life. You'll own the complete process from CAD design through CAM programming to running parts on our mills and routers, delivering functional jigs and fixtures on startup timelines. We need someone who thinks with their hands and can rapidly translate design requirements into precision tooling.
Responsibilities:
Design and deliver tooling, jigs, and fixtures for aircraft assembly and fabrication processes
Program and machine custom tooling components using CAM software and CNC equipment
Rapidly prototype manufacturing solutions to support evolving aircraft designs and assembly sequences
Conduct first article inspections and dimensional validation of tooling to ensure design intent is met
Collaborate with design engineers to provide DFM feedback and influence part designs for improved manufacturability
Develop and document assembly procedures, work instructions, and tooling usage guidelines
Troubleshoot and iterate on tooling designs based on real-world assembly feedback from the production floor
Maintain and improve existing tooling as aircraft designs evolve through development cycles
Ideal Qualifications:
Proficiency in CAD software (Fusion, SolidWorks, CATIA, NX, or similar) for designing tooling, fixtures, and jigs
Hands-on CAM programming experience and ability to machine own parts on vertical mills and multi-axis CNC equipment
Strong understanding of GD&T and ability to apply proper tolerancing to tooling designs
Knowledge of composite materials and their unique tooling requirements (layup surfaces, cure tooling, trim fixtures)
Experience with metrology equipment (calipers, micrometers, height gauges) and inspection techniques
Understanding of design for manufacturing principles and common composite manufacturing processes (layup, bonding, trimming, drilling)
Self-directed problem solver comfortable working independently while supporting a small, fast-moving team
Ability to balance speed with precision—knowing when \"good enough\" is appropriate versus when tight tolerances are critical
Nice to have:
Experience with Fusion 360 for integrated CAD/CAM workflow
Hands-on experience with Kitamura machines
Gantry-style CNC router programming and operation
Multi-axis (4th/5th axis) CAM programming experience
Hands-on composite layup or composite trimming experience
Welding experience for fixture fabrication
Experience with FDM for rapid tooling prototypes
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
We encourage candidates without at least a year of full-time, post graduation work experience to apply to our Mechanical Engineer (New Graduate) job posting
As a Mechanical Engineer at Poseidon Aerospace, you will design the structural and mechanical systems that make our composite aircraft functional and manufacturable. You will work across CAD design, mechanism development, and finite element analysis to create reliable, lightweight structures suited for flight and marine environments. This role is both analytical and hands-on, involving close collaboration with manufacturing, aerodynamics, and test teams to bring designs from concept to flight hardware.
Responsibilities:
Design and develop aircraft structures, mechanisms, and tooling using CAD software
Perform FEA to validate strength, stiffness, and load paths in composite and metallic components
Create detailed part/assembly drawings and documentation for manufacturing and inspection
Design linkages, control surface mechanisms, and mounting systems for aircraft subsystems
Collaborate with manufacturing engineers to ensure designs are practical, cost-effective, and easy to assemble
Support testing and validation of structural and mechanical systems, including fixture and rig design
Maintain CAD libraries, revision control, and configuration management for aircraft assemblies
Provide design feedback to improve manufacturability, maintainability, and structural efficiency
Ideal Qualifications:
Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
Proficiency with CAD software such as Fusion,, SolidWorks, CATIA, or NX
Strong understanding of structural design, stress analysis, and mechanical systems
Experience with FEA tools such as ANSYS, Fusion Simulation, Nastran, or similar
Ability to apply GD&T and mechanical tolerancing to production drawings
Familiarity with composite and metallic fabrication methods
Understanding of fundamentals of flight mechanics and aircraft dynamics
Comfortable working hands-on with prototypes, test articles, and shop tools
Capable of managing projects independently in a fast-paced, startup environment
Nice to Have:
Experience with bonded composite structures or hybrid assemblies
Background in actuation systems, linkages, or motion mechanisms
Knowledge of vibration, fatigue, or modal analysis
Hands-on experience with machining, additive manufacturing, or assembly tooling
Familiarity with design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA)
Proficiency in MATLAB or Python for analysis and process automation
Exposure to aerospace certification or flight test environments
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
Poseidon Aerospace is looking for an Operations Associate to join our team and help keep a fast-moving aerospace startup running efficiently. You’ll work directly with our Business Operations Manager and across the broader company, taking on the day-to-day operational work that enables our engineering and manufacturing teams to move quickly.
This is a hands-on, high-ownership role for someone who enjoys solving problems, figuring things out, and making things happen. The work will be varied. You might be coordinating a shipment one day, improving an internal process the next, and helping solve an unexpected operational problem at a test site the day after that.
What you’ll do
Work closely with engineering, manufacturing, and business teams to unblock problems
Support day-to-day company and business operations
Jump in wherever needed to keep the company moving quickly
Who we’re looking for
Organized, resourceful, and highly dependable
Strong attention to detail and follow-through
Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where priorities can change quickly
Willing to take ownership of problems even when there isn’t an obvious playbook
Excited about aerospace, hardware, and building an early-stage company
Early-career and non traditional candidates are encouraged to apply. We care more about initiative, judgment, and the ability to get things done than a specific number of years of experience.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
As a Pilot at Poseidon Aerospace, you will serve as the Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) for our next-generation autonomous aircraft. Flying is your primary function, you own the aircraft from preflight to post-flight, and when you're not in the air, you're supporting the test team on the ground to make sure the next flight is ready to go.
This role is for pilots first. You bring deep UAS operational experience, sharp situational awareness, and the discipline to run repeatable test operations safely. The engineering curiosity is a bonus, stick time is the foundation.
Serve as RPIC for all Poseidon aircraft during developmental flight testing and operational demonstrations
Execute flight test cards with precision, maintaining awareness of vehicle state, airspace, and test objectives throughout each sortie
Lead preflight briefings and postflight debriefings with the test team
Conduct flight readiness reviews and make go/no-go decisions based on aircraft status, weather, and airspace conditions
Maintain and apply SOPs, emergency checklists, and crew resource management practices on every flight
Provide structured debrief reports including anomalies, out-of-limits observations, and qualitative flight assessment
When not flying, you'll work alongside the test team to keep operations moving.
Support ground operations, range setup, and communications infrastructure for test campaigns
Assist in developing and maintaining flight test plans, SOPs, and operational documentation
Coordinate airspace authorizations, COA applications, and range scheduling
Review flight data logs to flag anomalies and provide pilot perspective to engineering teams
Help configure and verify aircraft systems prior to flight, working alongside avionics and propulsion engineers
Contribute to the development of operational concepts for autonomous and remote-piloted missions
Demonstrated experience as RPIC for UAS or RPAS platforms in operational or test environments
FAA Part 107 certification; familiarity with COA processes and experimental aircraft operations
FAA Part 61 or Part 141 certificated pilot (Private, Commercial, or ATP) with multi-engine privileges
Strong working knowledge of airspace coordination, mission planning, and preflight risk assessment
Ability to execute disciplined, repeatable test operations in dynamic field environments
Clear, structured communicator — comfortable leading briefs and debriefs with mixed engineering and operations audiences
At ease with evolving aircraft configurations and startup-level operational tempo
RPIC experience on large or complex UAS platforms (Group 3–5, e.g., Reaper, Global Hawk, or comparable)
Familiarity with telemetry systems, GCS interfaces, and autopilot behavior in test configurations
Experience supporting field test campaigns for new or developmental aircraft platforms
Exposure to flight test instrumentation, data logging, or postflight analysis workflows
Knowledge of simulation environments used for mission rehearsal or systems testing
Aerospace, systems, or mechanical engineering background
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
As a Propulsion Engineer at Poseidon Aerospace, you will lead the propulsion team’s development from initial assembly and bring-up to a fully calibrated, instrumented powerplant ready for flight. This is a hands-on role centered on engine assembly, design, tuning, and qualification via testing. You will run engines on the test stand, develop test procedures, prove they meet performance and durability targets, and collaborate cross-functionally to iterate and improve on the propulsion system.
If you have an interest in aviation, working hands-on in a test environment, motorsports or high performance engine tuning experience, and have strong instincts running an engine test cell, we are looking for you to join Poseidon.
Calibrate the engine across the full aviation operating envelope: fueling, ignition, idle stability, transient response, knock, and closed-loop strategy on a standalone ECU, with the propeller governor tuned to performance and reliability targets.
Run the engine test program on an instrumented test stand: break-in, bring-up, performance mapping, and endurance/qualification runs that prove each engine flight-ready.
Bring up the integrated engine from assembled hardware through verification: Outfit assemblies, prepare systems, diagnose faults, and close out anomalies.
Operate test instrumentation and DAQ: Specify and collect required data to drive propulsion system improvements and validation in a safe and traceable manner.
Translate & Present findings: Distill, document, and present data to validate requirements, limits, and drive design changes. Work closely with other teams to refine and improve propulsion systems.
Refine & Develop the break-in, operating, inspection, and maintenance procedures: Document and collect the procedures that carry the propulsion systems through test stand runs, ground runs, and flight tests.
Applied tuning of standalone/aftermarket ECUs: Fuel and ignition mapping, idle and transient control, drive-by-wire, knock, and sensor/DTC strategy.
Strong conceptual and hands-on knowledge of 4-stroke piston engines
Engine test-stand or dyno experience: Experience building or running an instrumented cell, including thrust/torque measurement, cooling and oil-system instrumentation, and DAQ.
Working knowledge of aircraft propeller and constant-speed governor systems.
Sharp diagnostic, setup, and troubleshooting skills.
Familiarity with controlled assembly and maintenance standards: FOD prevention, tool management, and shop safety.
Hands-on experience tuning, calibrating, and bringing up EFI piston engine systems: Aviation, motorsport, engine-swap, or standalone-ECU backgrounds are strongly relevant.
Experience qualifying or validating engines on a test cell, dyno, or test stand, and ideally through ground and flight testing.
Practical knowledge of aviation and automotive fuels (AvGas, MoGas) and their effect on calibration.
Comfortable working at the bench and on the aircraft, with strong, self-directed troubleshooting instincts.
Strong collaboration skills to communicate verification findings and design feedback clearly across disciplines.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Low-ego, collaborative workplace culture
6% retirement matching
Unlimited PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
This is Poseidon's first dedicated Talent Acquisition hire. You will own all of the full recruiting function end to end; from designing the process and standing up the infrastructure to personally sourcing and closing the engineers, pilots, and operators who will define our fleet. You'll be the first face candidates see and the last voice they hear before signing. You will also sit at the table with the Head of People and Talent to shape headcount strategy as we scale.
This role is for someone who has recruited in aerospace or defense, understands what it means to hire for highly specialized technical roles, and is energized by the challenge of building from scratch. We work onsite and this role is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Full-Cycle Recruiting: Own the hiring process from sourcing all the way to the hand-off for onboarding. Partner with hiring managers, build proactive pipelines for hard-to-fill roles, and serve as the primary point of contact for candidates
Infrastructure & Process: Administer our TA tools, design and document interview processes and evaluation rubrics, build and maintain recruiting metrics, develop workflows and candidate communication standards
Candidate Experience: Greet and host candidates onsite, create a candidate journey that is fast, respectful, and genuinely differentiating, even for candidates we don't advance
Employer Brand & Sourcing: develop and execute sourcing strategies across LI Recruiter, aerospace-specific talent networks, universities, military transition pipelines, and industry events. Draft compelling job posts and social content that communicates Poseidon's mission and differentiation, and represent Poseidon at events as needed (may require travel)
Strategic Partnership: Serve as the primary TA partner to the Head of People and act as a strategic advisor to hiring managers, contribute to workforce planning discussions and help prioritize hiring sequencing as the company grows
7+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience, with a meaningful portion of that in a startup aerospace, defense, aviation, or an adjacent deep-tech environment
Demonstrated experience taking the TA function from 0->1
Experience recruiting for highly technical roles: propulsion, avionics, controls, flight test, or related engineering disciplines
Hands-on experience owning or significantly configuring an ATS, you have set up workflows, not just used them
Strong sourcing skills across both active and passive candidate channels
Excellent written and verbal communication; capable of representing the company to senior technical candidates and executives alike
Comfort operating independently in an ambiguous, fast-moving startup environment
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
About the role:
We're looking for a Proposal Lead to manage and direct Poseidon’s proposal activities from proposal strategy to submission to contract award, and build the infrastructure that scales with us. You'll work directly with our growth, capture, and engineering teams to develop winning proposals.
What you’ll do:
Execute and lead well-coordinated winning proposals from initiation through award including solicitation decomposition, proposal schedules, compliance matrices, proposal team roles, proposal formats and templates, writing assignments, single-voice edits, color team reviews, and timely submissions
Establish and direct proposal processes, methods, enterprise solution implementation and use, and operational metrics for repeatable high quality winning proposals that can be tailored as Poseidon Aerospace scales
Develop and lead proposal strategies working closely with leadership, capture, and engineering in preparation for solicitation release and effective proposal kickoff, execution, and timely submission
Work with capture and engineering to prepare compelling white papers, graphics, concept briefs and other content in response to major RFPs, OTAs, CSOs, and other solicitation types from various federal agencies
Build and own the proposal enterprise including content libraries, writing schedules, reusable prose and graphics, and documentation standards that enable high-quality and rapid responses to customer solicitations
Working with leadership and growth teams to update pipelines, track future solicitations for proposal resource and talent management, and coordinate with customers for submission and award status
Required:
Experience with non-standard solicitations such as OTAs, CSOs, SBIRs, etc.
Experience with various contract types including IDIQs, cost plus, T&M, FFP, etc.
Strong business and technical writing skills: you can translate complex business, financial, and engineering concepts into clear and compelling narratives and graphical presentations
Deep knowledge of FAR/DFARS and proposal compliance requirements to ensure that cost and technical proposals are informed, persuasive and compliant, and which balances risks between Poseidon Aero and the U.S. Government
Experience developing compliance matrices, managing submission schedules, and owning document configuration
Technical literacy in federal contracting, pricing schemes, contract types, and aerospace systems
US citizenship and eligibility for a secret security clearance or higher
Ideally you have:
4 – 8 years in contracting or proposals, ideally at a fast-moving defense company or government contractor
A documented track record of leading and developing winning proposals with DoW and federal agencies
Excellent organizational, writing, and organizational skills in a scaling proposal organization
Worked in or alongside a fast-moving team under time pressure
Active security clearance
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
This is a dual role. You will lead mission integration activities including operational analysis and mission effectiveness modeling & simulation evaluations to develop operational requirements and decompose them into system requirements that shape the product development roadmap. Additionally, you will work as an integral component of the Growth team by operationalizing our products and developing selected design reference missions and concepts of operation (CONOPs) to address key mission gaps that are a priority for DoW and/or DHS. You will lead customer engagements to articulate the operational utility of the products we development. You will have ownership and responsibility for shaping and capturing opportunities across a variety of mission sets including contested airborne and maritime logistics, personnel recovery, advanced air-launched effects (kinetic & non-kinetic) effects, and other tactical capabilities that close critical mission gaps for our Federal partners.
Mission Integration
Inform Operational and System Requirements. Lead modeling & simulation activities including operational analysis, mission effectiveness evaluations, and cost analysis to develop operational requirements and decompose them into system requirements that address critical mission gaps communicated to Poseidon through customer engagements and shaping discussions.
Drive Product Development. Translate customer needs and leverage requirements development activities to inform design and cost trade studies to identify optimal balance of system design features that improve survivability and mission outcomes while reducing unit, operational, and mission costs. Insights gained from such analysis and customer mission gaps will inform the missionization of existing platforms and shape the product development roadmap for future platform development and prototyping.
Lead all phases of key demonstrations including planning, execution, and reporting of hardware and software simulations, Poseidon validation demos, and customers live operational exercises aimed at validating new mission capabilities and increasing Pwin for new programs and contract awards.
Growth Leadership
Capture new opportunities. Identify, assess, and capture contested airborne and maritime logistics, personnel recovery, advanced sensing, and advanced kinetic / non-kinetic effects opportunities across the military services including US Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Army as well as the US Coast Guard and relevant Dept. of Homeland Security agencies.
Develop and Execute Capture Strategies. Conduct analyses and develop a deep understanding of the existing and prospective customer base, identify prioritized mission gaps as articulated by existing and new customers, determine customer acquisition plans and budgets, and assess competitive landscape and products. Leverage these insights to inform capture strategies, revenue forecasts, and aid in product roadmaps and investment plans. Manage continuous tactical engagements with current and future clients to shape requirements, generate growth strategies, and monitor buying cycles for opportunities, and lead specific proposals and capture efforts.
Develop Win Strategies. Provide cohesive business plans and execution models that align capture strategies, investment strategies, win themes, and product roadmaps to position for and secure awards to pathfinder projects and large programs of record. Engage key Federal stakeholders to shape requirements, identify and secure relevant funding, and develop compelling win themes and supplier strategies for competitive captures.
Communicate Poseidon’s Fabric and Value Proposition. Communicate our value to clients, partners, competitors, and the interested public. Articulate Poseidon’s company fabric and philosophy, and convey our approach to building low-cost systems that address warfighter needs and close critical mission gaps.
Generate Intellectual Products. Draft whitepapers, prepare capability decks and pitch decks, and create other content or media that articulate, among other things, Poseidon’s company attributes, engineering methods, rapid manufacturing capabilities, product features and performance, and our products’ disruptive mission capabilities. Lead and/or support proposal activities and responses to various customer solicitations including sources sought, RFIs, RFPs, RPPs, etc. relating to major acquisition programs, OTAs, CSOs, SBIRs and other pursuits.
Recent operational experience as pilot or aircrew (rank O-4 to O-6) in tactical 5th or 6th Generation tactical aircraft such as the F-35 or F-22, or airlift platforms such as the C-5, C-17, or C-130
Excellent writing, communication skills with experience presenting to senior executives, Flag officers, and customers
A low-ego, high-ownership style, and comfortable working directly with engineering, growth, and proposal teams, while overseeing mission analysis, executing capture strategies, or engaging customers
Able to work on-site in our Washington, DC office, and ability travel up to 50% to customer sites, partner sites, conferences, and other Poseidon offices
Currently possesses and can maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance with eligibility for a top-secret clearance
Prior experience working with US Air Force program offices, requirements offices, and/or combatant commands. Deep understanding of US Air Force customer community, requirements process, and operational needs
Prior acquisition or operational experience with contested airlift missions and/or uncrewed RPA or preferably autonomous aerospace platforms executing autonomous and/or manned-unmanned-teaming (MUM-T) CONOPs including ISR-T, air-launched effects across a variety of missions
Experience working in acquisition program offices, requirements offices, combatant commands, or S&T offices
STEM background
Experience shaping and leading capture efforts in the defense industry
High ownership and ability to work in a fast-paced and entrepreneurial start-up environment
Collaborator who is adaptive and who can lead new and innovative approaches to market
Experience collaborating with partners, engineering, and growth teams
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
Test and Validation finds problems on the ground before they show up in flight. As a Senior Test and Validation Engineer you will own how Poseidon does that. You will define the hardware-in-the-loop and simulation architecture, the validator framework, and the system test roadmap, and decide what gets tested at the component level, on the bench, on the aircraft, and in flight. You will build much of it yourself and lead the engineers and technicians who run it.
Own the system test roadmap and the strategy for what is tested at component level, in hardware-in-the-loop, in ground test, and in flight test
Architect and bring up hardware-in-the-loop benches with flight computers, actuators, sensors, and power hardware in the loop
Own the simulation infrastructure, including software-in-the-loop, real-time simulation, and integration of models from GNC and flight sciences
Define the validator framework and the criteria a software or hardware release must meet before it goes on the aircraft
Design fault injection and rapid fault-finding campaigns driven by the vehicle failure mode analysis
Work with flight software to define the test-mode features needed in flight code
Turn mission profiles into qualification and life-test plans, including stress levels and test duration
Develop new ways to reproduce flight loads and environments on the ground, and correlate test conditions to flight data
Develop health monitoring and anomaly detection from vehicle telemetry for use in test and on the aircraft
Lead environmental and durability test campaigns, including outside test labs
Present test evidence at flight readiness reviews and support certification evidence
Lead root cause investigations on faults found in test
Lead and mentor test engineers and technicians
B.S. in electrical, mechanical, aerospace, or computer engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience
5+ years testing complex electromechanical or embedded systems on aircraft, spacecraft, automotive, or comparable vehicles
Architected and brought up a hardware-in-the-loop or system test capability from scratch
Owned the test strategy for a hardware and software program through to fielded operation or flight
Planned and ran environmental, durability, or reliability test campaigns that changed engineering decisions
Strong software skills in Python and C or C++
Strong electrical troubleshooting skills across embedded computers, actuation, power, and communications
Led test engineers or technicians
Test experience on uncrewed aircraft or fly-by-wire aircraft
Experience with real-time simulation platforms such as Speedgoat, dSPACE, or NI
Experience with reliability methods including FMEA, Weibull analysis, and accelerated life testing
Experience qualifying hardware to DO-160 or MIL-STD-810
Experience building an iron bird or full-vehicle integration rig
Experience developing real-time controls for safety-critical systems
Experience with test evidence for certification or military airworthiness
Every flight software release and every avionics box will pass through what you build before it reaches the aircraft. The test capability here is still being defined, and you will define it. How well you do it sets how fast the program can fly safely.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
Flight software is the code that runs on the flight computers of our autonomous cargo aircraft. As a Senior Flight Software Engineer you will own major parts of that software, from architecture through flight test. You will decide how the software is structured, how it handles failures, and how it is tested, and you will write a large share of the code yourself. You will also set the technical bar for the engineers around you.
Own the architecture of major flight software subsystems, including timing, partitioning, and redundancy
Design and implement deterministic, real-time embedded flight software in C++
Design fault detection and response for the aircraft, including redundancy management, degraded modes, and lost-link behavior
Define software requirements and interfaces with avionics, GNC, and flight test, and trace them to tests
Implement the GNC team’s algorithms in flight code and verify them against simulation
Set the test strategy across unit tests, software-in-the-loop, and hardware-in-the-loop
Build telemetry, logging, and command paths between the aircraft and the ground station
Lead software integration on the aircraft and support ground testing and flight test, including travel to our flight test site
Set coding standards and review practices, and lead design reviews
Mentor other flight software engineers
B.S. in computer science, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience
5+ years of professional C or C++ development on embedded, real-time, or safety-critical systems
Owned a flight software subsystem or equivalent from architecture through fielded operation
Took software through hardware integration and test on a real vehicle (aircraft, spacecraft, or automotive)
Designed fault detection and response for a system where failure had safety consequences
Led design reviews and set technical direction for other engineers
Flight software experience on crewed or uncrewed aircraft, or on spacecraft
RTOS or bare-metal development, with a deep understanding of scheduling, timing, and memory
Experience designing redundant or fault-tolerant flight computer architectures
Experience developing software under DO-178C or a comparable standard such as ISO 26262
Experience supporting flight test or vehicle test campaigns
Python for tooling, test automation, and flight data analysis
Clear technical writing
Flight software touches every system on the aircraft: avionics, propulsion, flight controls, and the ground station. You will make the decisions that shape how those systems work together, at a stage where the architecture is still yours to set. You will work directly with flight hardware and watch your code fly an aircraft that carries two tons.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
We are looking for a highly capable, hands-on Avionics & Electrical Integration Technician to help build, integrate, test, and troubleshoot advanced aerospace hardware. This is a broad, multidisciplinary role for someone who is equally comfortable at a workbench building a wiring harness, as integrating hardware into a vehicle, helping bring an integrated system to life.
This position sits at the intersection of electrical fabrication, avionics, mechanical assembly, systems integration, and testing. The ideal candidate takes pride in craftsmanship, works well with incomplete or evolving hardware, and enjoys helping turn engineering designs into functioning systems — moving between the bench, the shop floor, and the vehicle. If you enjoy building things, solving difficult problems, and seeing complex hardware come together into a functioning system, we'd like to talk to you.
Responsibilities:
Build, modify, and troubleshoot electrical wiring harnesses and cable assemblies
Perform wire cutting, stripping, crimping, splicing, connector assembly, and continuity testing
Build and install avionics, electrical, and electromechanical hardware
Perform high-quality soldering, rework, and repair of PCBs, control boards, and electrical assemblies
Integrate electrical and electronic systems into prototype and production-intent vehicles
Perform mechanical assembly associated with electrical and avionics installations
Install and route harnesses, sensors, controllers, computers, and other electrical hardware
Read and interpret wiring diagrams, schematics, assembly drawings, and engineering documentation
Troubleshoot electrical and system-level issues using appropriate test equipment
Support vehicle-level integration, assembly, checkout, and test activities
Work closely with electrical, mechanical, software, and test engineers to diagnose and resolve integration issues
Help identify practical improvements to harness routing, installation methods, assembly processes, and test setups
Maintain accurate build, configuration, and modification documentation
Participate in the development and improvement of assembly and test procedures
Maintain a clean, organized, and safe workspace while producing high-quality work
Ideal Qualifications:
Experience building and troubleshooting electrical wiring harnesses
Proficiency with crimping, soldering, connector assembly, and cable fabrication
Experience reading electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and assembly documentation
Experience using common electrical test equipment such as multimeters, power supplies, oscilloscopes, and continuity testers
Strong troubleshooting skills and the ability to systematically isolate electrical and integration problems
Experience assembling, soldering, modifying, or repairing PCBs and electronic assemblies
Strong attention to workmanship, reliability, and detail
Comfortable performing hands-on mechanical assembly
Experience installing and integrating electrical or electronic hardware into complex systems
Ability to work from mechanical drawings, assembly instructions, and engineering documentation
Comfortable working around prototype hardware where designs and configurations may evolve quickly
Ability to identify practical issues with accessibility, routing, installation, serviceability, and assembly
Self-motivated and comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with engineering teams
Strong mechanical aptitude and a natural curiosity for how systems work
Comfortable shifting between detailed bench work and larger vehicle-level integration tasks
Able to work in a fast-paced prototype and development environment
Takes ownership of work and maintains a high standard of quality
Strong organizational and documentation skills
Nice to Have:
Experience in aerospace, aviation, automotive, robotics, motorsports, or other complex electromechanical systems
Experience with avionics installation and integration
Experience building or supporting Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), Iron Bird, or other integrated test systems
Experience setting up test benches, test fixtures, or validation rigs
Familiarity with data acquisition systems, sensors, and instrumentation
Experience integrating CAN, Ethernet, serial, or other vehicle communication systems
Experience troubleshooting embedded systems and electronic control hardware
Familiarity with aerospace wiring and workmanship standards
Experience with prototype aircraft, unmanned aircraft, electric vehicles, or other advanced vehicle platforms
Experience supporting engineering development and validation testing
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.
We are seeking a Director of Certification who will own Poseidon’s aircraft certification and airworthiness strategy as we mature our unmanned, runway-independent logistics platforms. You will define and execute the regulatory pathway that aligns engineering, flight test, and operational decisions with a credible approval strategy, ensuring that development and testing efforts generate meaningful certification evidence. This role sits at the center of how Poseidon interfaces with regulators, structures flight test campaigns, and de-risks future operational approvals. Your center of gravity is building a clear, executable certification plan and ensuring the aircraft is designed, tested, and documented in a way that preserves program velocity while maintaining regulatory credibility.
Develop and maintain Poseidon’s Certification Master Plan, including certification basis, means of compliance, evidence strategy, and phased approval pathways.
Define what elements are in scope for near-term certification versus deferred or alternative approval paths.
Establish assumptions, risks, and decision gates tied to configuration freeze and test milestones.
Serve as Poseidon’s primary point of contact with the FAA and other relevant authorities.
Lead preparation for regulator engagements, technical briefings, and formal submissions.
Drive resolution of certification issues and alignment on expectations.
Translate regulatory expectations into clear, actionable engineering requirements across structures, propulsion, avionics, autonomy, command and control, and operations.
Ensure certification considerations are incorporated early into system architecture and design decisions.
Establish lightweight but effective compliance tracking and configuration control.
Partner with flight test and engineering teams to align test planning with certification evidence needs.
Distinguish between engineering learning tests and certification-relevant tests to maximize return on test investment.
Define data collection, analysis, and reporting standards for certification use.
Select and manage external certification resources including DERs, consultants, test labs, and conformity support.
Coordinate conformity planning and compliance expectations with suppliers and partners.
Help define the long-term structure of Poseidon’s certification and airworthiness organization.
Mentor and grow internal certification capability as the program scales.
10+ years of experience in aircraft certification, airworthiness, or regulatory compliance leadership.
Demonstrated ownership of certification programs involving regulator engagement, certification basis definition, and means of compliance.
Experience aligning engineering development and flight test programs with certification objectives.
Ability to operate independently in ambiguous, first-of-type or novel aircraft environments.
Strong communication skills with the ability to explain certification risk and tradeoffs to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Experience with unmanned aircraft, novel configurations, or autonomy-enabled systems.
Prior experience negotiating special conditions or non-standard certification pathways.
Background working with DERs, ODAs, or equivalent certification partners.
Experience bridging military airworthiness and civil certification expectations.
A clear, executable certification strategy that guides engineering and test decisions.
Predictable, constructive engagement with regulators and external partners.
Flight test activities that produce usable certification evidence.
Reduced program risk through early identification and management of certification issues.
This role will directly influence aircraft design, test strategy, and the credibility of Poseidon’s path to operational use. The Director of Certification will have outsized impact on the speed, cost, and success of the program.
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
Relocation support if applicable
Employee Health Benefit Plans
6% Retirement matching
Flexible PTO
Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
AI tools and subscriptions