Manager, Component Test & Infrastructure

Capella•Louisville, KY

18h•Onsite

About The Position

Capella, an IonQ company, spans national security, advanced sensing, and next-generation compute to deliver secure, mission-ready intelligence. Capella’s culture is built on collaboration, rigorous engineering, and a shared commitment to delivering solutions that strengthen global stability and security. Team members work side-by-side with some of the most innovative minds in space systems, quantum-enabled technologies, and mission-critical operations. Capella values curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to tackle hard problems with precision and creativity. Capella welcomes and encourages applicants whose perspectives are historically underrepresented in technology, national security, and aerospace. No prior space experience is required. Diverse viewpoints strengthen Capella’s ability to innovate and deliver meaningful impact for partners worldwide. The Role We are seeking an experienced Manager, Component Test & Infrastructure to lead spacecraft component verification activities and test infrastructure development in support of spacecraft production and test operations. This role is responsible for ensuring spacecraft components, subsystems, and RF hardware are properly verified prior to spacecraft integration while also owning the test infrastructure required to support efficient, reliable, and scalable testing. The successful candidate will lead a team of test engineers and work closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Spacecraft Test to ensure hardware readiness and production success. The Spacecraft Production and Test organization works closely together and collaborates throughout the company. From component production and testing through spacecraft build, environmental testing, and launch vehicle integration, we work hard to navigate technical and schedule challenges to deliver safe, functional spacecraft. This requires schedule flexibility during challenging times, but we seek to maintain work-life balance in return.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, or related technical field plus 8+ years of relevant experience, or master's degree plus 6+ years of relevant experience
Experience leading engineering teams in aerospace, defense, electronics manufacturing, or related industries
Experience developing and executing hardware verification and acceptance test programs
Strong understanding of electronic, RF, and electromechanical systems testing
Experience with automated test equipment, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems
Experience developing or maintaining test software and automation frameworks
Hands-on experience troubleshooting complex hardware and test systems
Experience designing, deploying, or supporting Ground Support Equipment (GSE)
Experience managing competing technical priorities while maintaining schedule commitments
Strong project management, communication, and organizational skills
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment
Ability to work with spacecraft flight hardware in contamination- and ESD-sensitive environments
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Capella employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable.

Nice To Haves

Experience with spacecraft, launch vehicle, or aerospace hardware development programs
Experience leading component test, integration, or verification organizations
Experience with RF testing, communications systems, or radar systems
Experience developing flatsats, hardware simulators, or representative spacecraft test beds
Experience managing calibration systems and laboratory assets
Knowledge of spacecraft subsystem architectures and on-orbit operations
Experience scaling test infrastructure to support production environments
Familiarity with environmental testing including vibration, thermal vacuum, thermal cycling, and EMI/EMC testing

Responsibilities

Lead a team of component test, RF test, and test automation engineers supporting spacecraft production and development programs
Own component-level acceptance testing and verification activities for electronic assemblies, RF hardware, and spacecraft subsystems
Develop and execute test strategies, plans, and procedures to verify component performance, quality, and readiness for spacecraft integration
Drive investigation, troubleshooting, and resolution of component test failures and anomalies
Partner with Engineering to improve product testability, manufacturability, and verification coverage
Develop and maintain automated test systems, software, and data analysis tools to improve test efficiency and repeatability
Own all Ground Support Equipment (GSE) required to support component and spacecraft testing activities
Own development and maintenance of representative test beds, flatsats, and hardware simulators used for risk reduction, troubleshooting, and integration support
Manage calibration programs, preventative maintenance activities, and lifecycle planning for test equipment and infrastructure assets
Develop business cases and recommendations for infrastructure investments, test station expansion, and capacity improvements
Establish and maintain standard architecture, processes, and documentation for test systems and infrastructure
Partner with Spacecraft Test leadership to ensure test infrastructure supports current and future production requirements
Collaborate with Satellite Operations and Engineering teams to incorporate on-orbit performance data, flight anomalies, and lessons learned into component verification strategies
Establish KPIs to measure test throughput, equipment utilization, infrastructure availability, and overall organizational effectiveness