Test Engineer

Castelion Corporation•Rio Rancho, NM

24d

About The Position

Castelion is seeking a Senior Test Engineer to lead testing activities for solid rocket motors (SRM) and integrated hypersonic strike vehicles. This role is responsible for developing and executing test plans for static fire testing, environmental qualification, functional verification, and flight test support. You will work hands-on with propulsion hardware, instrumentation, data acquisition systems, and test infrastructure while ensuring the highest standards of safety, data quality, and mission success. Partnering closely with Propulsion, Manufacturing, Integration & Test, and Design teams, you will drive test readiness for prototype, qualification, and production hardware on aggressive development timelines for programs like Blackbeard.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field.
6–10+ years of test engineering experience in aerospace or defense, with at least 3+ years focused on propulsion, solid rocket motors, or missile systems testing.
Proven track record developing and executing complex test programs from component through system level, including energetic or hazardous testing.
Strong hands-on experience with test instrumentation, data acquisition (e.g., LabVIEW, MATLAB, or similar), sensors (pressure transducers, accelerometers, thermocouples), and high-speed data systems.
Proficiency in test stand design, fixture development, and environmental test equipment (shakers, thermal chambers, etc.).
Experience with static fire testing, thrust measurement, and ballistic performance evaluation for solid rocket motors.
Working knowledge of safety protocols for energetic materials, ordnance handling, and high-pressure systems.
Familiarity with telemetry, flight test operations, and post-test data analysis tools.
Strong technical problem-solving and analytical skills with a data-driven approach.
Excellent collaboration and communication abilities across engineering, manufacturing, and test teams.
Proven ability to lead test execution in high-stakes, safety-critical environments.
Mentoring mindset and willingness to develop junior engineers.
Organized, proactive, and comfortable managing multiple concurrent test activities under tight schedules.
This position may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information, as determined by the Company and/or applicable U.S. Government requirements. If the position is so designated, your employment in the role may be contingent upon your ability to obtain and maintain the required U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and to satisfy any citizenship or other eligibility requirements imposed by applicable law, regulation, executive order, or government contract requirements.
This position requires access to export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with solid rocket motor static fire testing or hypersonic propulsion testing on DoD or NASA programs.
Background in fast-paced environments (aerospace startups, SpaceX, Anduril, etc.).
Experience supporting production acceptance testing and scaling test operations for rate production.
Prior work at test ranges or with range safety processes.
Familiarity with ITAR-controlled programs and classified testing environments.

Responsibilities

Lead the development of comprehensive test plans, procedures, and requirements for SRM static fires, environmental testing (vibration, thermal, shock, humidity), functional checkout, and vehicle-level integration testing.
Design, commission, and operate test fixtures, instrumentation setups, and data acquisition systems for thrust, pressure, temperature, vibration, and other critical parameters.
Execute and oversee static fire tests, environmental stress screening, and other qualification tests, ensuring safe operations with energetic materials and high-consequence hardware.
Perform real-time test monitoring, data reduction, analysis, and reporting; identify anomalies and lead root-cause investigations with cross-functional teams.
Support flight test campaigns, including pre-flight checkout, range coordination, telemetry monitoring, and post-flight data analysis.
Drive continuous improvement in test processes, safety protocols, and efficiency while integrating automation and digital tools for data capture and analysis.
Collaborate with Manufacturing and Propulsion on testability, design-for-test feedback, and hardware maturation from prototype to rate production.
Author and maintain test documentation, safety plans, and compliance records in accordance with DoD, range safety, and energetic materials standards.
Mentor junior test engineers and contribute to building robust test capabilities at Castelion facilities and partner ranges.
Manage test schedules, resources, and interfaces with internal teams, suppliers, and external test ranges.