Environmental Test Engineer - Space Technologies at AeroVironment in Albuquerque, NM

Job description

• AV is seeking an experienced Environmental Test Engineer for multiple programs within the Space Technologies division. The Space Technologies division has been developing the techniques, systems, subsystems, and design elements required to implement high reliability opto-mechanical and electrical systems.
• The Environmental Test Engineer will be a key member of an integrated, multidisciplinary engineering team operating in a dynamic development environment. This position will support the definition and execution of verification and validation (V&V) activities, environmental test planning, automated test development, data acquisition, and overall systems support across multiple programs.
• The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with environmental test systems and spaceflight hardware, including vibration tables, thermal chambers, thermal vacuum chambers, cleanroom operations, and associated instrumentation. The candidate will also have experience developing automated test hardware and software to improve test efficiency, repeatability, data quality, and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, execute, and document environmental tests - including vibration, thermal, thermal vacuum, shock, and EMI/EMC testing - for spaceflight components, subsystems, and systems in accordance with applicable standards and customer requirements
• Develop, design, integrate, and maintain hardware and software for automated environmental test equipment and laboratory control systems
• Develop reusable test automation scripts and tools for test sequencing, equipment control, data acquisition, real-time monitoring, limit checking, abort logic, post-processing, and automated reporting
• Integrate automated test systems with vibration controllers, thermal chambers, thermal vacuum chambers, data acquisition systems, instrumentation, facility control systems, and other specialized test equipment
• Support the development and integration of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), software-in-the-loop (SIL), and system-level automated test environments
• Work with systems and multidisciplinary engineering teams to refine requirements, verification statements, verification methods, and verification cross-reference matrices to ensure requirements are complete, measurable, and testable
• Develop and execute environmental test plans, procedures, scripts, AI&T documentation, test readiness materials, and formal test reports
• Prepare and verify test configurations, instrumentation plans, test limits, abort criteria, sensor calibration, facility readiness, and test article setups prior to test execution
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot vibration tables, thermal chambers, thermal vacuum chambers, autocollimators, data acquisition systems, and other specialized environmental test equipment
• Analyze test data using automated data reduction, signal-processing, visualization, and reporting tools to identify anomalies, trends, and performance issues
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, systems, software, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams to troubleshoot hardware, test equipment, facility, and data-related issues
• Support failure investigations, root-cause analysis, anomaly resolution, corrective actions, regression testing, and technical reviews; assume technical responsibility for assigned environmental test activities across one or more programs
• All other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline, with 2 - 5 years of experience
• Experience testing spaceflight hardware, satellite systems, spacecraft components, or other high-reliability aerospace systems
• Experience planning, preparing, executing, and documenting environmental tests
• Experience with automated control and measurement systems
• Experience developing or maintaining automated test equipment, test scripts, data acquisition software, or laboratory control systems
• Experience with system design, verification, and validation
• Experience testing hardware or systems in a cleanroom or controlled laboratory environment
• Experience developing integration and test plans, procedures, scripts, and reports
• Experience with environmental testing and associated test instrumentation
• Experience with signal processing, data acquisition, or automated test-data analysis
• Experience with vibration testing, thermal testing, thermal vacuum testing, or related environmental test activities
• Working knowledge of Python, MATLAB, Simulink, LabVIEW, Java, or comparable programming and test automation tools
• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Strong environmental test engineering, instrumentation, and troubleshooting skills
• Demonstrated ability to develop reliable, maintainable, and reusable test automation
• Strong understanding of environmental test methods, test equipment, instrumentation, and data acquisition
• Ability to interpret test requirements, specifications, drawings, interface control documents, and system-level documentation
• Strong data analysis and signal-processing skills
• Ability to identify and isolate hardware, software, instrumentation, facility, and test-setup issues
• Strong leadership, organization, and communication skills
• Ability to assume technical responsibility for assigned test activities or multiple programs
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary engineering teams and technicians
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, mission-focused environment
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline with 4 - 8 years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree with 2 - 5 years of relevant experience
• More than two years of environmental test engineering experience
• Direct experience conducting environmental tests for spaceflight hardware or satellite systems in a cleanroom environment
• Experience developing automated environmental test systems and reusable test automation frameworks
• Experience integrating automated test software with vibration controllers, thermal vacuum chambers, thermal chambers, facility control systems, and data acquisition systems
• Experience with National Instruments hardware, including PXI, DAQ systems, high-speed digitizers, switching systems, and instrumentation
• Experience with MATLAB, Simulink, Python, LabVIEW, Java, or equivalent engineering software

Skills

Required

• Environmental test engineering
• Instrumentation
• Troubleshooting
• Test automation
• Data analysis
• Signal processing
• Python
• MATLAB
• Simulink
• LabVIEW
• Java

Benefits

• Benefits: AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.
• We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.
• Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.
• $74,500 - $113,500
• AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.