Mechanical Test Engineer II, Automation
Core
Design, build, and maintain bespoke ground support equipment (GSE) and test infrastructure to qualify spaceflight hardware for orbit.
Role type
Senior IC mechanical test engineer (automation)
Builds
Propulsion test stands, environmental qualification chambers, spacecraft-level integration test platforms, and data acquisition systems.
Domain
Aerospace / Spaceflight hardware testing
Deliverable
production ML models | product features | dashboards & analysis | research | client delivery | infrastructure | physical/clinical work
Required skills
Mechanical design, industrial automation, Solidworks/NX CAD, electrical wiring for cabinets/PLCs, electronic schematic design (Altium/EPLAN), high-pressure gas/fluid systems, environmental testing (TVAC/thermal cycling/vibration), propulsion test stand development, industrial hardware integration (EtherCAT/Modbus/RS-232/485), PLC programming (Beckhoff TwinCAT 3/IEC 61131-3)
Preferred skills
Aerospace experience, spacecraft qualification standards knowledge, safety-related control systems development, low-level firmware or Python programming
Technologies
Beckhoff EtherCAT, TwinCAT 3, IEC 61131-3, Altium, EPLAN, Pelican DAQ, Load cell DAQ, Accelerometer DAQ
Responsibilities
Design, build, and maintain test systems and GSE for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations; Integrate mechanical, electrical, fluid, and instrumentation systems into cohesive test platforms; Implement solutions from concept through fabrication, assembly, commissioning, and ongoing support; Manage both rapid R&D test setups and long-term test infrastructure improvements; Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver test infrastructure on aggressive timelines; Read, deploy, and make minor edits to internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling; Champion sustainable engineering practices and maintain production systems reliably
Seniority
Mid-level IC with hands-on ownership