Development Test Engineer

Castelion Corporation•Torrance, NM

About The Position

The Development Test Engineer owns the planning, execution, and analysis of tests that turn designs into flight-ready hardware. The role works across engineering, manufacturing, and operations, translating requirements into real-world validation through benchtop, environmental, subsystem, and vehicle-level testing. The engineer designs test hardware, writes procedures, runs tests, identifies issues early, and provides clear data and recommendations to support design improvements. This is a hands-on role suited to engineers who thrive in fast-paced, ambiguity-heavy environments and learn by testing real hardware. The role may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information. If designated, employment may depend on obtaining and maintaining the required security clearance or other government authorization, as well as satisfying applicable citizenship or eligibility requirements. The position also requires access to export-controlled information; hiring is contingent on being able to access applicable information without additional export licensing.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or a related engineering field.
At least 3 years of hands-on development and test experience, academic, industry, or both.
Experience planning and executing hardware tests from concept through report-out.
Proficiency with test instrumentation and lab equipment, including DAQs, oscilloscopes, power supplies, and sensors.
Ability to design and fabricate simple test fixtures and GSE, with CAD and shop familiarity.
Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis skills.
Comfort working across disciplines in high-ownership environments.
Willingness to support extended hours, weekends, travel, and on-site operations during critical test campaigns.
High ownership, bias to action, attention to detail, and a test-driven engineering mindset.
Comfort working in fast-moving environments where hardware is the source of truth.
Ability to meet applicable U.S. Government security clearance, authorization, citizenship, or other eligibility requirements if they apply to the position.
Ability to access applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing.

Nice To Haves

Experience testing aerospace, missile, launch vehicle, space, or defense hardware.
Environmental testing experience, including vibration, thermal-vacuum, thermal cycling, or shock.
Test automation and data analysis experience using Python, MATLAB, or similar tools.
Flight test, range operations, or hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experience.
Familiarity with requirements verification, qualification evidence, and failure tracking.
Hands-on machining, wiring, soldering, or rapid prototyping experience.

Responsibilities

Own development and qualification testing for avionics, mechanisms, propulsion, structures, and integrated vehicle subsystems.
Design and build test fixtures, ground support equipment (GSE), and instrumentation for benchtop, environmental, and system-level tests.
Author test plans, procedures, and reports aligned with program requirements and qualification intent.
Execute vibration, thermal, shock, EMI/EMC, functional, and performance testing.
Instrument hardware and vehicles with sensors, including strain, temperature, pressure, acceleration, and current/voltage sensors, and DAQ systems.
Lead anomaly detection, root-cause analysis, and corrective action closure.
Partner with design engineering to feed test results into rapid design iteration.
Support integration operations, range testing, and flight test campaigns as needed.
Maintain configuration control, data management, and test documentation.
Improve test infrastructure, automation, and data quality to increase test cadence and learning velocity.