Job description

Iridium is an award-winning satellite communications company operating the world's only truly global voice and data network, delivering reliable connectivity anywhere on Earth. For more than 20 years, Iridium has powered mission-critical communications for governments, businesses, aviation, maritime, and the rapidly expanding Internet of Things. Now part of Iridium, Aireon is the world’s only space-based air traffic surveillance system, providing real-time visibility of aircraft over oceans, the poles, and remote regions. Together, Iridium and Aireon are helping build a safer, more connected, and more efficient future for global aviation. Join our team and help shape how the world stays connected. We foster a collaborative, inclusive culture where employees are empowered to innovate, grow professionally, and make a meaningful impact. What We’re Looking For: Iridium is seeking a Manager, Test Engineering to lead system-level integration and test activities for our ground infrastructure. In this role, you will partner with cross-functional engineering teams to develop and execute test strategies, plans, and procedures that verify system performance and ensure product quality. You will oversee the daily operations of a highly technical test lab, ensuring test readiness, configuration control, and efficient execution of testing activities. You will also lead and develop a team of test engineers while driving continuous improvements in test processes, automation, and lab operations to enhance quality, efficiency, and delivery. The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise with proven leadership skills and a passion for building high-performing teams. What You’ll Do: • Lead, coach, and develop a team of test engineers by setting priorities, managing performance, fostering technical growth, and promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing. • Lead cross-functional engineering efforts to translate system requirements into executable test activities and ensuring coordinated execution of verification tasks. • Lead the day-to-day operations of the system integration and test laboratory, ensuring test readiness, configuration control, calibration, safe operation of test assets, and efficient utilization of lab resources. • Plan, prioritize, and allocate testing resources to support Agile development activities, balancing competing priorities while ensuring timely execution of program milestones. Develop, review, and maintain test plans, procedures, reports, and related documentation in accordance with project, quality, and regulatory requirements. • Drive continuous improvement initiatives by advancing test automation, improving test methodologies, and optimizing laboratory processes to enhance quality, efficiency, and cycle time. • Communicate testing progress, emerging risks, and resource needs through clear, concise updates to leadership and program stakeholders. • Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders and peer engineering managers to reinforce priorities and ensure testing activities support evolving mission needs. • Mentor and develop engineers, encouraging technical growth, knowledge sharing, and adoption of best practices. • Provide hands-on technical support for system integration, troubleshooting, and engineering decision-making within your scope. • Foster a culture of technical excellence, operational discipline, continuous improvement, and accountability, emphasizing data integrity and quality. What You’ll Need to Succeed: • Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a relevant technical field. • 8+ years of progressive technical experience, preferably within the aerospace, satellite, or telecommunications industries. • Strong understanding of systems engineering principles such as requirements definition, analysis, verification and validation, and anomaly resolution. • Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams, solve complex problems, and coordinate interdependent workflows. • Effective communication skills with the ability to convey technical information across diverse audiences. • Strong interpersonal skills for building relationships with peers, leadership, and stakeholders. • Analytical mindset with ability to think critically and propose practical solutions. • Proactive in sharing knowledge and providing feedback to enhance team performance. • Ability to prioritize tasks for yourself and your team to meet deadlines and milestones. Things That Would be Great if You Brought to the Table: • Strong project-management skills with experience coordinating cross-functional technical efforts. • Advanced degree in engineering or related discipline. • Prior experience leading a lab engineering team. We’ll also need you to: • This position directly performs under, supports, or is exposed to a U.S. government contract. To comply with the requirements of that U.S. government contract, applicants for this position must be U.S. citizens • Be willing and able to travel up to 15 days annually • Be willing and able to be on-call to support operational issues Work Environment: This position primarily works in an office setting and is largely sedentary with the majority of the position working with a computer. The role typically requires the use of basic office equipment such as a phone, video, computer, keyboard, mouse, and printer. We believe in-person connection drives innovation, strengthens mentorship, and builds culture, while flexibility enables employees to do their best work. Under Iridium’s Hybrid Work Policy, employees are expected to work at least four days per week (approximately 80%) in an Iridium office to support collaboration, relationship-building, and professional growth. Additional Information This job description outlines the general nature and level of work for this role and is not a comprehensive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Employees may be assigned additional responsibilities as needed. Base Pay Range: $115,000 - $150,000 Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors and this range represents an estimate of compensation at the time of posting. Base salary is only one part of our compensation package for this role. You may also be eligible for company stock and annual bonus. Employee benefits also include medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage; 401(k) retirement plan options; paid time off and paid holidays; paid parental leave; and other discounts and perks. Iridium is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

Requirements

Must-haves

Join our team and help shape how the world stays connected. We foster a collaborative, inclusive culture where employees are empowered to innovate, grow professionally, and make a meaningful impact.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of test engineers by setting priorities, managing performance, fostering technical growth, and promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Lead cross-functional engineering efforts to translate system requirements into executable test activities and ensuring coordinated execution of verification tasks.
Lead the day-to-day operations of the system integration and test laboratory, ensuring test readiness, configuration control, calibration, safe operation of test assets, and efficient utilization of lab resources.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives by advancing test automation, improving test methodologies, and optimizing laboratory processes to enhance quality, efficiency, and cycle time.
Communicate testing progress, emerging risks, and resource needs through clear, concise updates to leadership and program stakeholders.
Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders and peer engineering managers to reinforce priorities and ensure testing activities support evolving mission needs.
Mentor and develop engineers, encouraging technical growth, knowledge sharing, and adoption of best practices.
Provide hands-on technical support for system integration, troubleshooting, and engineering decision-making within your scope.
Foster a culture of technical excellence, operational discipline, continuous improvement, and accountability, emphasizing data integrity and quality.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a relevant technical field.
8+ years of progressive technical experience, preferably within the aerospace, satellite, or telecommunications industries.
Strong understanding of systems engineering principles such as requirements definition, analysis, verification and validation, and anomaly resolution.
Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams, solve complex problems, and coordinate interdependent workflows.
Effective communication skills with the ability to convey technical information across diverse audiences.
Strong interpersonal skills for building relationships with peers, leadership, and stakeholders.
Analytical mindset with ability to think critically and propose practical solutions.
Proactive in sharing knowledge and providing feedback to enhance team performance.
Ability to prioritize tasks for yourself and your team to meet deadlines and milestones.
Things That Would be Great if You Brought to the Table:
Strong project-management skills with experience coordinating cross-functional technical efforts.
Advanced degree in engineering or related discipline.
Prior experience leading a lab engineering team.
This position directly performs under, supports, or is exposed to a U.S. government contract. To comply with the requirements of that U.S. government contract, applicants for this position must be U.S. citizens

Nice-to-haves

None flagged.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

agile

Platform: icims
Effort: medium

Benefits

Benefits detected in the listing.

Dental

Vision

401(K)

Paid Time Off

Parental Leave