Mechanical Test Engineer

Salient Motion•Hawthorne, CA

9d•$110,000 - $130,000

About The Position

The Mechanical Test Engineer focuses on the mechanical and environmental qualification of actuators and integrated LRUs, including vibration, shock, thermal, humidity, altitude, and life/durability testing. The role includes designing test fixtures and instrumentation; planning, writing, and executing qualification and acceptance test procedures; and developing test plans and reports to DO-160G and MIL-STD-810H. The engineer will manage outsourced lab testing and witness tests at customer and partner facilities in the United States and abroad, coordinating schedules, witness points, and acceptance criteria. The role also analyzes test data, identifies mechanical failure modes, works with design engineering on root-cause and corrective actions, and supports development of an in-house qualification test lab as capabilities mature.

Requirements

B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related engineering discipline.
At least 2 years of qualification or environmental test experience on aerospace, defense, or comparable hardware.
Hands-on experience executing DO-160 and/or MIL-STD-810 mechanical and environmental test campaigns.
Proficiency with mechanical test instrumentation, including load cells, accelerometers, data acquisition systems, and data analysis.
Experience designing test fixtures and mechanical instrumentation setups.
Strong technical writing skills for test plans and reports.
U.S. Person status required per ITAR; applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents.
Ability to travel internationally and hold a valid passport.

Nice To Haves

Experience with electromechanical actuators, motors, gear trains, or precision mechanisms.
Familiarity with thermal, vibration, and shock testing, including fixture design, modal considerations, and test tailoring.
Exposure to commercial or defense certification environments.
Experience managing third-party test labs and witnessing customer acceptance testing.

Responsibilities

Plan, write, and execute mechanical qualification and acceptance test procedures for actuators and integrated LRUs.
Develop test plans and reports to DO-160G and MIL-STD-810H, including vibration, shock, thermal, humidity, and altitude testing.
Design and build mechanical test fixtures, load setups, instrumentation, and data acquisition configurations.
Plan and execute load, life, durability, and environmental testing to validate cycle reliability requirements.
Manage testing at outsourced labs and witness tests at customer and partner facilities domestically and internationally.
Coordinate test schedules, witness points, and acceptance criteria with customers and labs.
Analyze test data, identify mechanical failure modes, and drive root-cause and corrective action with design engineering.
Support development of an in-house qualification test lab as capability matures.