Lead, Test Engineering

Radiant Industries • El Segundo, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Radiant is seeking a Lead, Test Engineering to own the strategy and execution of testing for Kaleidos hardware and systems, while directly managing and developing a team of test engineers. This hands-on technical leadership role is the technical owner for multidisciplinary testing, including thermal, materials, structural, mechanical, and special-process testing. The lead will develop testing across the product and build Radiant’s test site from the ground up, supporting rapid design iteration and later production acceptance testing. Testing will assess thermal performance, material behavior, structural and mechanical response, leak integrity, and system reliability. The role works closely with design, analysis, materials, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and operations teams to ensure designs are validated, robust, and production-ready.

The position leads test hardware and infrastructure development; test strategy, planning, and technical ownership; test execution and data analysis; team development; and cross-functional collaboration. The work includes defining test requirements and equipment, establishing safe and reliable test capabilities, planning and executing development, qualification, and acceptance tests, analyzing results, investigating anomalies, and establishing mature test processes and documentation standards.

This position is 100% onsite at Radiant’s El Segundo headquarters. The employee must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as necessary. The position involves access to technology subject to U.S. export controls, and any offer is contingent on the applicant’s ability to serve in compliance with those controls.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 8 years of experience in testing, development, or validation of complex mechanical, thermal, or electromechanical systems.
• Hands-on experience building and operating test setups for high-energy or high-temperature hardware.
• Experience designing test instrumentation and data acquisition systems and analyzing test data.
• Experience with leak testing methods such as helium leak detection and pressure decay, and with flow/thermal test setups.
• Experience correlating test results with analytical predictions and design intent.
• Demonstrated technical leadership and ability to drive complex test efforts to completion.
• Strong written, verbal, and organizational skills.
• Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as necessary.
• Ability to work 100% onsite at the El Segundo headquarters.
• Capacity to serve in compliance with applicable U.S. export controls.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience managing a team of test engineers or technicians.
• Experience developing a test facility or test stand from the ground up, including safety reviews and hazard analysis such as JHA, HAZOP, or FMEA.
• Experience with hazardous-gas handling.
• Experience testing rotating turbomachinery, heat exchangers, fluid systems, mechanisms, or controls.
• Experience with structural test methods, including strain gauges, load cells, and test-to-FEA correlation.
• Experience with data acquisition and analysis tools such as LabVIEW, Python, MATLAB, Beckhoff hardware, or PLCs.
• Familiarity with industry standards such as API, ASME, ISO, and ASTM, and measurement uncertainty practices such as ISO 17025.
• Experience with pressure-vessel and pressure-system testing and safety, such as ASME BPVC.
• Experience in nuclear, aerospace, defense, or other regulated, high-reliability environments.
• Startup or fast-paced hardware development experience.
• Prior nuclear experience is not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead requirements definition, design, and implementation of test hardware, including test rigs, fixtures, instrumentation, data acquisition, controls, and support systems for components, subsystems, and integrated systems.
• Build, commission, calibrate, and maintain testing capabilities across thermal, materials, mechanical, structural, and leak/flow disciplines.
• Establish operating procedures, safety controls, and facility readiness for high-energy, high-temperature, vacuum, pressurized, and hazardous-materials environments.
• Define equipment specifications, manage vendor selection and procurement, and plan test-space layout.
• Work with quality to manage calibration programs, measurement traceability, and uncertainty analysis for test equipment.
• Own and lead test strategy across development, qualification, and production acceptance phases.
• Define test objectives, plans, success criteria, instrumentation strategies, and data requirements for hardware and systems.
• Serve as the technical authority for test methods, measurement quality, and data integrity.
• Translate analytical predictions and design requirements into targeted test campaigns that validate assumptions and retire risk.
• Balance test coverage, technical risk, schedule, cost, and hardware availability to enable rapid iteration while maintaining safety and rigor.
• Plan and execute development, qualification, and acceptance tests, including functional, performance, environmental, transient, off-nominal, and endurance testing.
• Operate test hardware hands-on, emphasizing repeatability, data quality, and safety.
• Analyze test data to assess system performance, thermal and mechanical behavior, and reliability; compare results with analytical predictions and work with design teams to resolve discrepancies.
• Collaborate with engineers on root-cause investigations, anomaly or failure identification, and corrective actions supported by test evidence.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to test engineers and technicians while remaining hands-on and scaling testing capability, throughput, and organizational maturity.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and technical development of test personnel.
• Develop work estimates, test schedules, and status updates for program leadership.
• Review and approve test procedures, reports, and data packages.
• Establish and mature standards and processes for test documentation, data management, configuration control, knowledge capture, labs, and safety culture.
• Partner with design and analysis engineers to ensure designs are testable and adequately validated; review design documentation for test coverage, instrumentation, and risk.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, and operations teams on prototype, first-article, and production hardware testing.
• Represent testing in design reviews, test readiness reviews, and technical leadership discussions.

Benefits

• Substantial incentive stock plan for all full-time employees.
• Medical coverage up to the base silver-level plan at 100% for employees and 50% for dependents, with plans up to Platinum available.
• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and dependents.
• Vision coverage at 100% for the top-tier plan and 50% for dependents.
• Dental coverage at 100% for the top-tier plan, with orthodontia extra, and 50% for dependents.
• Voluntary life, accident, hospital, and critical illness coverage, plus commuter benefits and FSA/HSA, offered as employee-contributed benefits.
• Eight weeks of paid parental leave for all parents.
• Additional paid pregnancy leave for California employees.
• Nuclear Engineering Certificate Program with Penn State University, fully covered for eligible employees.
• Daily catered lunch.
• Free snacks and drinks.
• Flexible PTO policy.
• Remote workday allocation.
• Company and team-bonding events, happy hours, and in-person camaraderie.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior