Flight Test Director

Job Description

Job Description

About Castelion

Castelion is bringing a new approach to defense development and production: one that focuses on short, iterative design cycles, rapid flight testing in development, and modern commercial manufacturing strategies for production at scale. We're designing, building, and testing next generation long range strike weapons systems to give America and its Allies a definitive edge and deter future conflicts.

Flight Test Director

We are seeking a highly capable Flight Test Director to lead the planning, coordination, and execution of weapon development flight test events. In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring that every test is conducted safely, legally, and in alignment with engineering objectives. You will serve as the central authority for final test readiness, go/no-go decisions, and on-site leadership during test campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Lead and own test readiness reviews, including final go/no-go decisions for flight test events.
• Define and manage overall test operations and procedures, ensuring alignment with mission objectives and safety standards.
• Serve as the primary point of communication on test day, coordinating both on-site and company-wide updates.
• Oversee all FAA, FCC, and DoD range coordination, ensuring full regulatory compliance for each test.
• Direct and supervise recovery operations for all test assets.
• Ensure overall site and operational safety, coordinating with test operations, engineering, and safety personnel to manage risks.

Basic Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field (advanced degree a plus)
• 7+ years of experience leading or coordinating field tests in aerospace, defense, or related industries.
• Strong understanding of range coordination, regulatory requirements, and test operations planning.
• Demonstrated leadership in high-pressure, multidisciplinary environments.
• Excellent communication and decision-making skills, especially in dynamic or uncertain test conditions.
• Familiarity with FAA/FCC/DoD flight testing requirements is a plus.

Leadership Qualities

• Bias to Action and Creative Problem Solving . Desire and experience questioning assumptions in ways that lead to break through ideas that are ultimately implemented. Successfully bring in applicable processes/concepts/materials from other industries to achieve efficiency gains. The ability to personally resolve minor issues in development without requiring significant support.
• High Commitment, High Initiative . A successful candidate will have a genuine passion for Castelion's mission and consistently look for ways to contribute to the company's technical goals and prevent hardware blockers. Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere. Strong sense of accountability and integrity.
• Clear Communicator . Proactively communicates blockers. Trusted in previous roles to be voice of company with regulators, suppliers, gate keepers and customers. Capable of tactfully managing relationships with stakeholders to achieve company-desired outcomes without compromising relationships. Emails, IMs and verbal interactions are logical, drive clarity, and detailed enough to eliminate ambiguity.

ITAR Requirements

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

All employees are granted long-term stock incentives as part of their employment at Castelion. All employees receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance, and the company offers four weeks of paid time off per year.