{"id":1501393,"url":"https://alion.io/job/xona-space-systems-spacecraft-test-engineer","title":"Spacecraft Test Engineer","company":{"id":685097,"name":"Xona Space Systems","domain":"xonaspace.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/xonaspace","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Ashby","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":89,"open_postings":18,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.222,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":85,"computed_at":"2026-10-12T06:55:09Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"middle","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Burlingame, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":145000,"max":175000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":175000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":3,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"MATLAB","optional":true},{"name":"Python","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-29T23:34:41Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-29","last_verified_at":"2026-10-12T09:13:41Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":12,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":12},"description":"Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.\nWith 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.\nAbout the Role\nWe are looking for aSpacecraft 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.\nThis 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.\nThis 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.\nThe 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.\nWhat You'll Do\nEarly-Stage R&D and Design De-Risking\nIdentify high-risk mechanical, structural, thermal, material, and process risks early in the spacecraft development cycle.\n\nDesign and execute coupon-, component-, and subassembly-level tests to characterize materials, interfaces, processes, and hardware before design freeze.\n\nDevelop test-derived allowables and engineering data for critical mechanical interfaces, including bonded joints, structural interfaces, and other spacecraft hardware.\n\nPerform material and process characterization to validate assumptions before they become embedded in flight designs.\n\nDevelop rapid mechanical and thermal tests to investigate potential failure modes and inform design decisions.\n\nPartner directly with mechanical, structures, thermal, payload, electrical, and systems engineers to translate test results into actionable design changes.\n\nIn-House Test Capability Development\nBuild and expand Xona's internal capabilities for advanced mechanical and materials testing.\n\nDevelop test methods for mechanical strength, tensile testing, optical properties testing, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), thermal characterization, and other specialized testing.\n\nDesign and build test fixtures, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems required to execute these tests.\n\nEstablish repeatable test methods, procedures, calibration practices, and internal engineering databases.\n\nUse physical testing to validate and improve analytical and simulation models.\n\nIdentify opportunities to replace outsourced testing with faster, more responsive in-house capabilities.\n\nFirst-Article Spacecraft Vibration Testing\nOwn the planning and execution of first-article spacecraft vibration testing, from test definition through final reporting.\n\nDevelop spacecraft vibration test plans and procedures in coordination with structures, systems, mechanical, electrical, and test teams.\n\nDefine test configurations, instrumentation, accelerometer placement, interface requirements, fixture requirements, and pre/post-test functional checks.\n\nDesign and/or oversee the design of spacecraft vibration fixtures and associated ground support equipment.\n\nCoordinate with external vibration facilities and test operators to execute test campaigns safely and effectively.\n\nMonitor test data in real time, identify anomalies, and make engineering decisions during test execution.\n\nPerform pre- and post-test inspections, functional testing, and data analysis.\n\nLead investigation and root-cause analysis of test anomalies and drive corrective actions back into spacecraft design and manufacturing.\n\nDevelop and improve Xona's spacecraft test methodologies as the Pulsar fleet scales, including coupon, materials, preload, vibration, thermal, and TVAC.\n\nThermal Vacuum & Environmental Testing\nSupport spacecraft-level thermal vacuum (TVAC) test campaigns, including planning, instrumentation, execution, and post-test analysis.\n\nCoordinate spacecraft configuration, GSE, chamber interfaces, thermal instrumentation, and test facility requirements.\n\nExecute thermal cycling and thermal vacuum testing while monitoring spacecraft performance and identifying unexpected thermal behavior.\n\nWork closely with thermal engineers to correlate thermal models against physical test data and identify model deficiencies.\n\nSupport early thermal characterization and model correlation to reduce surprises during formal spacecraft TVAC.\n\nAnalyze temperature, functional, and other test data to identify thermal or mechanical issues and recommend design improvements.\n\nLead post-TVAC inspections, functional testing, anomaly resolution, and test reporting.\n\nSpacecraft Qualification & Verification\nDevelop spacecraft-level verification strategies that connect early R&D testing with formal qualification and acceptance testing.\n\nDefine test objectives, success criteria, instrumentation, and data requirements.\n\nSupport PDR/CDR and other design reviews by providing test-derived evidence of mechanical and environmental performance.\n\nDevelop and maintain test plans, procedures, reports, and verification documentation.\n\nLead test readiness reviews and coordinate closure of test prerequisites and open technical issues.\n\nSupport qualification, acceptance, and flight hardware testing throughout the spacecraft lifecycle.\n\nDrive lessons learned from testing into spacecraft design standards, manufacturing processes, and future vehicle builds.\n\nCross-Functional Engineering\nServe as a technical point of contact between spacecraft test and the broader engineering organization.\n\nWork closely with mechanical, structures, thermal, electrical, payload, GNC, systems engineering, manufacturing, and operations teams.\n\nProvide early, test-driven feedback to designers rather than waiting for formal qualification to discover problems.\n\nWork directly with vendors and external test laboratories when specialized facilities or capabilities are required.\n\nMentor engineers and technicians in spacecraft test methods, environmental testing, instrumentation, and hardware handling.\n\nEstablish scalable test processes and standards as Xona increases spacecraft production.\n\nWhat You'll Bring\nBachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.\n\n3+ years of relevant engineering experience, with demonstrated ownership of hardware testing and verification.\n\nExperience developing and executing mechanical or environmental tests on complex hardware.\n\nDirect experience with one or more spacecraft environmental tests such as vibration, thermal vacuum, thermal cycling, shock, or structural testing.\n\nStrong understanding of mechanical engineering fundamentals, including structural mechanics, materials, thermal effects, fasteners, joints, and interfaces.\n\nExperience developing test fixtures, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems.\n\nAbility to interpret test data, identify anomalies, and perform root-cause analysis.\n\nStrong technical writing skills and experience producing engineering test plans, procedures, and reports.\n\nAbility to work hands-on with flight hardware and test equipment.\n\nStrong communication skills and the ability to work effectively across multiple engineering disciplines.\n\nDemonstrated ability to take ownership of ambiguous problems and drive them to completion.\n\nPreferred Qualifications\nDirect experience leading spacecraft-level vibration or TVAC campaigns.\n\nExperience with first-article or qualification testing of spacecraft or other aerospace hardware.\n\nExperience with materials characterization, allowables testing, or other mechanical/materials test methods.\n\nExperience correlating thermal or structural models with physical test data.\n\nExperience designing test fixtures and GSE using CAD.\n\nFamiliarity with spacecraft environmental test standards and practices.\n\nExperience with accelerometers, thermocouples/RTDs, strain gauges, load cells, or other test instrumentation.\n\nExperience with data acquisition systems and test automation.\n\nFamiliarity with Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or similar tools for test automation and data analysis.\n\nExperience working with external test facilities and vendors.\n\nExperience with spacecraft integration, test, and launch operations.\n\nWhy This Role Matters\nThis 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.\nYou 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.\nThis 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.\nFor 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).\nFor 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).\nFor 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.\nWe 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.","description_format":"text","description_chars":10345,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":3,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Space & Aerospace"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-30T04:13:59Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.903,"p_room":1,"age_days":12,"expected_fill_days":85,"reasons":["conf:3","velocity","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-12T06:55:09Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":175000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/xona-space-systems-spacecraft-test-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/xona-space-systems-spacecraft-test-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-12T09:32:49Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":14549,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-13T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":685097},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=685097"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fxona-space-systems-spacecraft-test-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fxona-space-systems-spacecraft-test-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fxona-space-systems-spacecraft-test-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/xona-space-systems-spacecraft-test-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fxona-space-systems-spacecraft-test-engineer"}]}