Test Engineering Manager, Spacecraft Mechanical, Kuiper - Solar/Mechanism

Amazon • Redmond, WA

77d • $135,900 - $234,900

About The Position

Project Kuiper is Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite broadband network. Its mission is to deliver fast, reliable internet to customers and communities around the world, and we’ve designed the system with the capacity, flexibility, and performance to serve a wide range of customers, from individual households to schools, hospitals, businesses, government agencies, and other organizations operating in locations without reliable connectivity. Project Kuiper seeks an experienced Test Engineering Manager to lead our Mechanical Test Development team, designing advanced test infrastructure for satellite mechanical systems. This hands-on leadership role requires a self-starter with deep technical expertise in mechatronics, automation, and space flight hardware testing, focusing on developing bespoke solutions for solar arrays, mechanisms, and structural components. The ideal candidate will push to develop innovative test approaches, rapidly generate reliable data, and collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams to support comprehensive hardware development and qualification processes.

Requirements

• 7+ years of new hardware products development experience
• Experience with the project management of technical projects
• 3+ years of engineering team management experience
• Bachelor's degree or above in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, material science, physics or equivalent, or Bachelor's degree or equivalent and 1+ years of professional or military experience
• 5+ years of experience developing test infrastructure to meet the needs of testing space craft or similarly complex systems.
• 5+ years of experience with automating hardware testing or developing controls software using Python, LabVIEW, Test Stand, or similar

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Power Engineering, or a related field
• Knowledge of AWS or cloud technologies
• Experience developing products for large volume production
• Experience managing teams of 8+ engineers
• Experience communicating with users, other technical teams, and management to collect requirements, describe software product features, and technical designs
• Experience with integration and testing of satellite hardware.
• Experience in development of test plans and protocols related to established Space Hardware test processes (GEVS / SMC-S-016 / MIL-STD-810)
• Attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate records and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a test development engineering team for satellite hardware, driving technical strategy and innovation in test methodologies for Solar Arrays, Mechanisms, and Structural Systems.
• Oversee comprehensive test planning, design, and execution, ensuring rigorous characterization and validation of spaceflight hardware through advanced testing techniques and cross-functional collaboration.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship, guiding engineers in developing best practices for mechanical testing, design optimization, and performance assessment of satellite subsystems.
• Manage project schedules, budgets, and resource allocations while maintaining compliance with aerospace standards and delivering cost-effective, high-reliability solutions.
• Conduct design reviews, risk assessments, and root cause investigations to continuously improve testing processes, hardware performance, and overall mission readiness for satellite constellation development.
• Develop a strong understanding of the flight hardware and its test systems as well as contribute to hiring, mentoring, and career growth of the engineers on your team.

Benefits

• Full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits
• Equity, sign-on payments, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree