Environmental Test Engineer

Environmental Test Engineer – Vibration & Thermal Vacuum (TVAC)

Job Summary

The Environmental Test Engineer (Vibration & TVAC) is responsible for planning, executing, and documenting mechanical and thermal-vacuum test campaigns to validate the environmental robustness of spacecraft hardware. This role supports qualification and acceptance testing of components, subsystems, and integrated systems in accordance with program and customer requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, review, and execute vibration (sine, random, shock) and thermal vacuum (TVAC) test plans and procedures.
• Configure, calibrate, and operate environmental test equipment including electrodynamic shakers, thermal chambers, vacuum systems, and data acquisition hardware.
• Collaborate with systems, mechanical, and manufacturing engineering teams to define environmental test requirements and success criteria.
• Monitor tests in real time, identify anomalies, and troubleshoot issues to ensure successful test execution.
• Ensure compliance with applicable industry and government standards (e.g., MIL-STD-1540, NASA GEVS, ECSS).
• Coordinate with technicians on fixturing, instrumentation layout, sensor placement, and test article integration.
• Lead or support failure investigations and root cause analyses following test anomalies.
• Analyze test data and generate detailed reports including plots, results, and pass/fail determinations.
• Maintain test equipment and support facility operational readiness.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives related to test processes, safety, and reliability.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience performing environmental testing in aerospace, defense, or a related industry.
• Hands-on experience with vibration and TVAC test equipment, sensors, and DAQ systems.
• Strong understanding of mechanical and thermal environments for spaceflight hardware.
• Experience with instrumentation setup, calibration, and post-test data analysis.
• Ability to work in cleanroom environments and follow contamination control protocols.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with LabVIEW, TestStand, MATLAB, or Python for test automation and analysis.
• Experience supporting spacecraft or launch vehicle qualification and acceptance programs.
• Familiarity with standards such as MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-1540, and ECSS-E-ST-10-03C.
• Exposure to thermal modeling or simulation tools.