Flight Test - Intern / Working Student

About Us

STARK is a new kind of defence technology company, revolutionizing the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost-effective. Our mission is to bolster the technological edge of NATO Allies and their partners to deter aggression and defend Europe.

About the team

You will join a highly dedicated and hands-on flight test team working closely with engineers, technicians, and remote pilots to bring our UAV platforms from engineering design into physical flight. The team is made up of great people who care deeply about safe, rigorous testing and work closely together to solve problems quickly in the field.

Your mission

s a Flight Test Intern / Working Student, you are the vital "on-site hands" of our flight test team. Your mission is to support the seamless execution of flight test campaigns for our military-grade UAV platforms, bridging the gap between engineering design and physical flight.

You will work closely with our Flight Test Engineers (FTEs) and Remote Pilots, learning the rigorous standards of military aviation. We are a "gloves-off" team: You will be expected to be hands-on with the hardware, ensuring the aircraft is ready, the telemetry is streaming, and the test objectives are met. This is a role for someone who wants to understand the "insides" of a drone as much as the data it produces.

Responsibilities

• You act as technical support during field campaigns, assisting with aircraft assembly, battery management, and ground control station (GCS) setup.
• You work in close contact with FTEs to ensure all test-specific equipment, including sensors, payloads, and specific hardware versions, is prepared and verified before heading to the field.
• You support ground-based validation and troubleshooting and may be exposed to HIL/SIL environments and ground testing setups.
• You support the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) and FTE in maintaining a safe flight line, conducting pre-flight walkarounds, and managing airspace observation.
• You learn from our technicians and engineers how to integrate, troubleshoot, and maintain avionics and communication links.
• You assist FTEs in translating engineering and software requirements into actionable test cards and field setups.
• You help maintain accurate flight logs, anomaly reports, and configuration control records to ensure every flight provides maximum value to the design team.

Qualifications

• You are currently enrolled in or between a Bachelor’s or Master’s program in Aerospace, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, or a similar field.
• You may also have a strong technical or vocational background, such as aircraft mechanics, electronics, or high-end RC modeling, and want to transition into a pilot, flight testing, or engineering environment.
• You are comfortable using tools and working with hardware and have a natural curiosity for how things are built and how they break.
• You have initial exposure to UAVs, whether through university projects, personal hobbies, or previous internships.
• You are proactive and detail-oriented and look for the missing screw or loose cable before it becomes a problem.
• You are happy to work outdoors in various conditions and can handle the fast-paced, iterative nature of a defence-tech startup.
• You have strong collaboration and communication skills in English; German is a plus.

Nice to have

• You have hands-on experience with UAVs, RC aircraft, avionics, electronics, or similar hardware systems.
• You have exposure to flight testing, ground testing, HIL/SIL environments, or test instrumentation.
• You have experience working with flight logs, telemetry data, ground control stations, or UAV communication systems.