Electric Propulsion Test Engineer III - Vacuum Test Stations

About the role

The role is part of the In-Space Systems business unit, which is focused on addressing two of the most compelling challenges in spaceflight today: space infrastructure and increasing mobility on-orbit. As a member of the TeraWave propulsion team, you will play a foundational role in the development of the Hall thruster-based propulsion systems that maneuver the TeraWave constellation satellites as well as the propulsion team itself.

Responsibilities

• Design, procure, assemble, and operate propulsion development test facilities for system and subsystem-level tests.
• Document and lead discussions of test results, conclusions, and recommended paths forward for test and test article development.
• Coordinate with equipment suppliers and Blue Origin facilities on delivery of large and long lead test equipment requiring detailed facility layouts and specialized facility infrastructure.
• Work closely with mechanical design and manufacturing team members to provide Design for Test insight in test article design reviews.
• Author test plans, test procedures, and test software for high-quality and, where appropriate, automated testing.
• Develop practices for test data aggregation, statistical process control, and data visualization with scalability to high-rate production.
• Conduct test station design reviews and test readiness reviews for your tests.
• Define test requirements and objectives, ensuring effective characterization of system development and coverage of product requirements.
• Identify, communicate, and mitigate cost, schedule, and technical risks.
• Plan scaling activities for development and production test capacity to support concurrent high-rate production and sustained, continuous product improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s of Science in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Physics, Systems Engineering, or related technical subject area.
• 5+ years of career experience in propulsion system development, production, and test.
• Experience working with flight hardware in a production facility, or laboratory.
• Working knowledge of electric propulsion (e.g., ion, Hall-effect) principles and test practices.
• Demonstrated experience in the creation and commissioning of development or production test stations for electric propulsion vacuum hot fire tests.
• Experience working safely with compressed gasses, high-pressure test systems, vacuum chambers, and high-voltage assemblies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s of Science in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Physics, Systems Engineering, or related technical subject area.
• Experience developing test infrastructure drawings/documentation, configuring test articles, and conducting testing of propulsion systems or sub-systems.
• Functional knowledge of common electric propulsion test equipment (power supplies, data acquisition systems, pump systems, leak detection equipment, motion stages, DMMs, etc.) and test software used to control, automate, and monitor their use (Python, LabView, Grafana, TestStand, etc.).
• Experience conducting thermal, vibration, shock, and/or vacuum testing on flight hardware in accordance with MIL-STD-810, SMC-S-016, and MIL-STD-1540.
• Experience performing data analysis and reduction and presenting technical information in a clear and compelling visual format.
• Proven experience and successful track record developing/starting new test processes.
• Experience scaling and optimizing tests and test practices for higher production rates.
• Experience conducting tests and resolving non-conformances in a high-rate production environment.
• Experience performing limited design (CAD) work to draft test fixturing/tool needs.
• Excellent computer skills with the ability to quickly learn and use various software tools as needed.
• Experience with AS9100 Quality Management System.
• Experience with analytical and scripting tools: MATLAB, LabVIEW, Python, or C++.
• Experience developing and deploying test scripts/software.
• Experience with requirements development/management tools and lifecycle management (PLM) tools.

Qualifications

• Must Be Physically Able To Support production floor activities.
• Climb stairs and work in small areas.
• Lift and carry 40 lbs.