Spacecraft Test Engineer
Xona Space Systems· startup· Information Services· Sep 29, 2026 · 29d ago
Burlingame, California
In office
Full-time
Mid
$145K–$175K
3+ years exp
Job description
Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.
With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.
About the Role
We are looking for a Spacecraft Test Engineer to own mechanical and environmental testing across the spacecraft development lifecycle, from early R&D and design de-risking through first-article spacecraft qualification.
This role sits at the intersection of spacecraft design, mechanical engineering, materials, environmental testing, and systems engineering. You will develop and execute tests that identify failure modes early, establish engineering margins through physical data, and ultimately demonstrate that our spacecraft are ready for launch.
This role will also drive first-article spacecraft environmental testing, including vibration and thermal vacuum testing. You will lead these campaigns from test planning and fixture/instrumentation development through execution, data review, anomaly resolution, and final test reporting.
The ideal candidate is equally comfortable developing a novel coupon test in the lab, working directly with a spacecraft on the integration floor, troubleshooting a test setup, and presenting test results across teams.
What You'll Do
Early-Stage R&D and Design De-Risking
- Identify high-risk mechanical, structural, thermal, material, and process risks early in the spacecraft development cycle.
- Design and execute coupon-, component-, and subassembly-level tests to characterize materials, interfaces, processes, and hardware before design freeze.
- Develop test-derived allowables and engineering data for critical mechanical interfaces, including bonded joints, structural interfaces, and other spacecraft hardware.
- Perform material and process characterization to validate assumptions before they become embedded in flight designs.
- Develop rapid mechanical and thermal tests to investigate potential failure modes and inform design decisions.
- Partner directly with mechanical, structures, thermal, payload, electrical, and systems engineers to translate test results into actionable design changes.
In-House Test Capability Development
- Build and expand Xona's internal capabilities for advanced mechanical and materials testing.
- Develop test methods for mechanical strength, tensile testing, optical properties testing, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), thermal characterization, and other specialized testing.
- Design and build test fixtures, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems required to execute these tests.
- Establish repeatable test methods, procedures, calibration practices, and internal engineering databases.
- Use physical testing to validate and improve analytical and simulation models.
- Identify opportunities to replace outsourced testing with faster, more responsive in-house capabilities.
First-Article Spacecraft Vibration Testing
- Own the planning and execution of first-article spacecraft vibration testing, from test definition through final reporting.
- Develop spacecraft vibration test plans and procedures in coordination with structures, systems, mechanical, electrical, and test teams.
- Define test configurations, instrumentation, accelerometer placement, interface requirements, fixture requirements, and pre/post-test functional checks.
- Design and/or oversee the design of spacecraft vibration fixtures and associated ground support equipment.
- Coordinate with external vibration facilities and test operators to execute test campaigns safely and effectively.
- Monitor test data in real time, identify anomalies, and make engineering decisions during test execution.
- Perform pre- and post-test inspections, functional testing, and data analysis.
- Lead investigation and root-cause analysis of test anomalies and drive corrective actions back into spacecraft design and manufacturing.
- Develop and improve Xona's spacecraft test methodologies as the Pulsar fleet scales, including coupon, materials, preload, vibration, thermal, and TVAC.
Thermal Vacuum & Environmental Testing
- Support spacecraft-level thermal vacuum (TVAC) test campaigns, including planning, instrumentation, execution, and post-test analysis.
- Coordinate spacecraft configuration, GSE, chamber interfaces, thermal instrumentation, and test facility requirements.
- Execute thermal cycling and thermal vacuum testing while monitoring spacecraft performance and identifying unexpected thermal behavior.
- Work closely with thermal engineers to correlate thermal models against physical test data and identify model deficiencies.
- Support early thermal characterization and model correlation to reduce surprises during formal spacecraft TVAC.
- Analyze temperature, functional, and other test data to identify thermal or mechanical issues and recommend design improvements.
- Lead post-TVAC inspections, functional testing, anomaly resolution, and test reporting.
Spacecraft Qualification & Verification
- Develop spacecraft-level verification strategies that connect early R&D testing with formal qualification and acceptance testing.
- Define test objectives, success criteria, instrumentation, and data requirements.
- Support PDR/CDR and other design reviews by providing test-derived evidence of mechanical and environmental performance.
- Develop and maintain test plans, procedures, reports, and verification documentation.
- Lead test readiness reviews and coordinate closure of test prerequisites and open technical issues.
- Support qualification, acceptance, and flight hardware testing throughout the spacecraft lifecycle.
- Drive lessons learned from testing into spacecraft design standards, manufacturing processes, and future vehicle builds.
Cross-Functional Engineering
- Serve as a technical point of contact between spacecraft test and the broader engineering organization.
- Work closely with mechanical, structures, thermal, electrical, payload, GNC, systems engineering, manufacturing, and operations teams.
- Provide early, test-driven feedback to designers rather than waiting for formal qualification to discover problems.
- Work directly with vendors and external test laboratories when specialized facilities or capabilities are required.
- Mentor engineers and technicians in spacecraft test methods, environmental testing, instrumentation, and hardware handling.
- Establish scalable test processes and standards as Xona increases spacecraft production.
What You'll Bring
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
- 3+ years of relevant engineering experience, with demonstrated ownership of hardware testing and verification.
- Experience developing and executing mechanical or environmental tests on complex hardware.
- Direct experience with one or more spacecraft environmental tests such as vibration, thermal vacuum, thermal cycling, shock, or structural testing.
- Strong understanding of mechanical engineering fundamentals, including structural mechanics, materials, thermal effects, fasteners, joints, and interfaces.
- Experience developing test fixtures, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems.
- Ability to interpret test data, identify anomalies, and perform root-cause analysis.
- Strong technical writing skills and experience producing engineering test plans, procedures, and reports.
- Ability to work hands-on with flight hardware and test equipment.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively across multiple engineering disciplines.
- Demonstrated ability to take ownership of ambiguous problems and drive them to completion.
Preferred Qualifications
- Direct experience leading spacecraft-level vibration or TVAC campaigns.
- Experience with first-article or qualification testing of spacecraft or other aerospace hardware.
- Experience with materials characterization, allowables testing, or other mechanical/materials test methods.
- Experience correlating thermal or structural models with physical test data.
- Experience designing test fixtures and GSE using CAD.
- Familiarity with spacecraft environmental test standards and practices.
- Experience with accelerometers, thermocouples/RTDs, strain gauges, load cells, or other test instrumentation.
- Experience with data acquisition systems and test automation.
- Familiarity with Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or similar tools for test automation and data analysis.
- Experience working with external test facilities and vendors.
- Experience with spacecraft integration, test, and launch operations.
Why This Role Matters
This role will establish a critical capability at Xona: using physical testing to find and eliminate spacecraft failure modes before they become expensive problems during qualification or launch campaigns.
You will have the opportunity to shape how Xona tests its spacecraft - from the first material or coupon test through the first article spacecraft's vibration and TVAC campaigns and turn those lessons into repeatable processes for a growing fleet.
This is a highly hands-on role with significant technical ownership. You'll see your work directly influence spacecraft designs, manufacturing processes, qualification decisions, and ultimately hardware that flies in space.
For U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).
For U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).
For Canada Roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
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