Senior AI&T Engineer - Special Test Equipment (STE)

Viasat, Inc. • Tempe, AZ

4h

About The Position

Viasat’s Space Infrastructure Team designs, builds, and operates satellites that deliver global connectivity in demanding environments. Your work within the integration and test team will directly impact payload performance, schedule, and on‑orbit mission success.
This role is for a Senior AI&T (Assembly Integration and Test) Engineer focusing on Payload Special Test Equipment (STE).
You will own the end-to-end STE strategy for space-based communications payloads, serving as the technical authority for all payload STE infrastructure. This role leads the architecture and implementation of STE across development, qualification, and flight builds, ensuring test systems are robust, scalable, and flight-ready from early development through launch.
Working closely with the product design team, you will interpret unit, module, and payload-level requirements and translate them into comprehensive verification strategies. This includes developing test plans, designing and integrating test equipment, and delivering automated test and checkout procedures that enable reliable, repeatable validation of payload performance and readiness.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in STE design supporting space-qualified hardware
• Demonstrated experience architecting or leading complex test systems for payload or satellite
• Strong understanding of communications payload and satellite subsystems
• Hands-on experience with payload or satellite STE through integration.
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally and lead technical discussions under pressure.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience
• U.S. citizenship required
• Ability to travel up to 10%

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated ownership of complex systems from concept through execution
• Experience supporting environmental tests and launch campaigns.
• Experience building scalable, multi-bay checkout systems rather than one-off lab benches
• Proficiency in Python, C#, C++, or similar languages for automation
• Familiarity with vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, and noise figure measurement systems
• Working knowledge of telemetry architecture and high-speed digital interfaces

Responsibilities

• Architecture & Requirements: Define and maintain STE architecture for RF, digital, telemetry, timing, and power; derive STE requirements from payload specs/functionality, and create verification plans
• Development & Integration: Lead development of hardware, software, harnessing, interface electronics, and automation; establish checkout flows from unit → subsystem → payload
• Operations & Readiness: Select/integrate COTS vs. custom instrumentation; review/approve readiness and certification procedures; support environmental testing and launch ops
• Reliability & Governance: Lead anomaly investigations; maintain configuration control and documentation

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees