FlightWave, a subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings, is looking to fill a Production Engineer position. We are a dynamic and growing drone technology company focused on the manufacturing of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS drones) for use in defense, public safety, and other government security organizations.

We are seeking a talented Production Engineer with strong software engineering skills to develop, validate, and deploy manufacturing tools that streamline the scalable production and testing of PX4-based UAS products. The role requires building intuitive, user-friendly interfaces for operators using QT applications and refining command-line tools to optimize validation, manufacturing, and testing. You will work closely with mechanical, electrical, and software teams to ensure the tools you build improve production efficiency and enable smooth operation at scale.

Location Note: The role will start in Santa Monica, but the office is expected to move to the Long Beach area in Q1 2025.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop QT-based applications for production tools, including operator-facing UIs, to improve usability and speed up workflows.
• Automate interactions with hardware interfaces (e.g., I2C, SPI, UART, IP-based tools) to streamline testing and validation of electronic components.
• Set up, debug, and fine-tune test stations involving PX4 drone stack components and hardware peripherals.
• Work with MAVLink protocols to integrate production tools with PX4-based drones.
• Create instructional documentation to train operators on the use of testing and validation tools.
• Physical setup of electronics test stations
• Develop technician-friendly tools to improve upon command line interfaces for programming, and testing of hardware
• Support hardware build, develop test software, debug, validate, and fine-tune the test station for release to production
• Draft instructional documentation to support operator training and use of the stations you develop

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or relevant fields.
• 5+ years of experience developing automated programming and test automation stations for production lines.
• Expertise in Python and QT framework for building GUI-based tools; additional experience with C++, C,, or other languages is a plus.
• Expertise building backend APIs, FastAPI, MongoDB is our current stack.
• Experience with electronics test equipment (multimeters, power supplies, data acquisition devices)
• Familiarity with hardware interfaces such as I2C, SPI, UART, and IP-related networking tools (e.g., ifconfig).
• Strong understanding of MAVLink protocols and experience with PX4 drone stacks.
• Hands-on skills with diagnostics software, hardware, tools, instruments, general electro-mechanical/mechatronic systems, and measurement techniques

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to a wide variety of test systems, production machinery, industrial sensors, and equipment (pressure sensors, temperature sensors, current meters, data acquisition devices, etc.)
• Experience with manufacturing in aerospace, drone, or consumer electronics industries
• Demonstrated ability to work with different disciplines (i.e., electrical, mechanical, software)
• UI/UX design experience focused on operator interfaces for manufacturing tools.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to stand for extended periods, as required by the duties and responsibilities.
• Adeptness in moving around the office, manufacturing facilities, and other workspaces.

Additional Information

Background Check

This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with a criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal and state law.

EEO and ITAR/EAR Work Authorization Disclosure

Red Cat Holdings provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software, technology, or technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Successful candidates for positions subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

E-Verify

The company participate in to ensure eligibility for employment and compliance with rules.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $95,000.00 – $108,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Application Question(s):

• What range are you targeting for this position, based on what you know about it now? (It is understood that your targeted pay range may be negotiable based upon the responsibilities of the position, but a range is required to be considered.)

Ability to Relocate:

• Santa Monica, CA 90403: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person