Environmental Test Engineer
Stratolaunch accelerates the development of next-generation aerospace and defense technologies through reusable hypersonic flight testing. Our autonomous, air-launched Talon-A vehicles provide access to operationally realistic flight environments at speeds exceeding Mach 5, delivering critical data that helps customers validate system performance and advance technologies toward deployment. Our team brings together expertise in engineering, manufacturing, and flight operations to solve complex challenges and advance capabilities essential to national security.
To help achieve these efforts, we are seeking an Environmental Test Engineer to lead the qualification and acceptance testing of avionics hardware throughout its development lifecycle. This role partners with avionics, systems, environmental-analysis, and integration engineers to translate requirements into practical test programs; design and build test systems; execute environmental and functional tests; and document results.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Own qualification and acceptance test planning, execution, analysis, and reporting for avionics components and assemblies.
- Collaborate with avionics engineers and environmental analysts to define verification requirements, test objectives, instrumentation, and success criteria.
- Develop qualification and acceptance test plans, procedures, test reports, and supporting documentation.
- Design and support the build of electrical test systems, including instrumentation, harnessing, fixtures, and data-acquisition systems.
- Develop Python-based scripts and tools for test data collection, analysis, and limited automation.
- Support functional, thermal, vibration, shock, and thermal-vacuum testing, including troubleshooting and test anomaly resolution.
- Review test configurations and results for compliance with applicable qualification standards, including RCC-324, RCC-319, MIL-STD-461, and related customer or program requirements.
- Communicate test status, risks, anomalies, and recommendations to engineering and program stakeholders.
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Required Qualifications
- Experience in one or more relevant disciplines, including electrical engineering, software engineering, avionics, experimental aircraft, or launch-vehicle integration.
- Experience designing, integrating, or operating electrical test and instrumentation systems, such as NI cDAQ or comparable data-acquisition platforms.
- Experience supporting environmental test campaigns, including thermal cycling, random vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, or similar testing.
- Ability to troubleshoot electrical, software, instrumentation, and hardware-in-the-loop test issues.
- Ability to write clear technical documentation, including test procedures, reports, and discrepancy/anomaly documentation.
Preferred Qualifications
- Familiarity with aerospace environmental, EMC/EMI, or qualification standards, such as RCC-324, RCC-319, MIL-STD-461, DO-160, or similar.
- Experience automating test equipment using Python, PyVISA/VISA, SCPI, or comparable tools and protocols.
- Experience creating or reviewing electrical schematics, test fixtures, cable/harness drawings, and wiring documentation.
- Familiarity with aerospace electrical hardware, including connectors, relays, wire types, shielding, grounding, and bonding practices.
- Experience with test-data analysis, post-test reporting, and failure investigation.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to explain technical challenges, risks, and recommendations to cross-functional stakeholders.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize effectively, and execute against program schedule and business goals.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoW security clearance