Systems Engineer VI – Test

About the role

The Systems Engineer VI – Test serves as the organization's principal technical authority for propulsion system integration and testing. This role establishes the strategic vision, technical standards and long-term roadmap for test engineering across multiple programs. The Level VI Engineer provides executive-level technical leadership for complex development, qualification, production and flight test campaigns while serving as the primary advisor to executive leadership and customers on verification strategy, technical risk and mission assurance.

Responsibilities

• Define enterprise test strategies, technical roadmaps, engineering standards and best practices.
• Lead technical planning and execution of complex development, qualification, production and flight test programs.
• Provide technical leadership for SWIL, HWIL, automated test systems, test software, instrumentation, controls and data acquisition architectures.
• Lead resolution of the organization's most complex integration, test, hardware, software and system performance issues.
• Direct root cause investigations, anomaly resolution efforts and major technical review boards.
• Represent the organization during customer reviews, technical interchange meetings and government program reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR and QRR.
• Drive innovation through advanced simulation, automation, digital engineering, model-based verification and emerging test technologies.
• Guide development of advanced test facilities, laboratory capabilities and enterprise test infrastructure.
• Provide technical leadership for proposals, IRAD initiatives, technology maturation and strategic business growth.
• Mentor senior engineers and technical leaders while fostering organizational technical excellence.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering or related STEM field from an accredited college/university.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in propulsion system integration and test engineering within aerospace, defense or related high-reliability industries.
• Expert knowledge of propulsion systems, rocket motor testing, qualification, acceptance, production testing and verification methodologies.
• Recognized as a technical authority and subject matter expert (SME) in propulsion system integration and test with demonstrated impact across multiple major aerospace or defense programs.
• Exceptional leadership, communication and mentoring skills, with the ability to influence executive leadership, customers and multidisciplinary engineering teams; dedicated to mentoring and developing next-generation test engineers.
• Demonstrated commitment to engineering excellence, mission assurance and success, safety, quality and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and resolving highly complex integration and test challenges with the ability to balance strategic leadership responsibilities with hands-on technical oversight.
• Expertise applying systems engineering and controls engineering principles to verification, integration and test architecture.
• Demonstrated success leading complete test life cycles from architecture and planning through qualification, production and operational support.
• Experience developing enterprise engineering processes, organizational standards and advanced test capabilities.
• Advanced programming proficiency in C/C++, MATLAB, Simulink and Python, supporting test automation and simulation.
• Expert troubleshooting and root cause investigation of highly integrated hardware/software systems.
• Expert knowledge of MIL-STDs, aerospace qualification and acceptance testing and government certification processes.
• Strong working knowledge of RS-422, RS-485, CAN, Ethernet, TCP/IP and UDP/IP communication protocols.
• Extensive experience with rocket motor integration, Software-in-the-Loop (SWIL), Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL), automated test systems, real-time simulation, instrumentation, controls, data acquisition and test software development.
• Demonstrated experience supporting customer technical reviews, proposal development, technology roadmaps and strategic planning.