Principal Test Engineer - Millennium Space Systems

Boeing Boeing · Aerospace · El Segundo, CA

This role focuses on developing manufacturing processes and test procedures for satellite avionics, including dynamic and thermal environmental testing. The Principal Test Engineer will lead investigations into complex test anomalies, ensure design for testability, and drive continuous improvement in high-rate, low-cost production without compromising safety or reliability. The role requires extensive experience in hardware testing, leading engineering teams, and managing non-conformances at scale, with a strong emphasis on root cause analysis and process improvements.

What you'd actually do

  1. Architect spacecraft hardware test procedures and test readiness frameworks; serve as the senior escalation point for complex issues that arise during qualification and acceptance test campaigns
  2. Lead cross-functional initiatives to identify systemic improvement opportunities that enhance safety, product quality, cycle time, and labor efficiency across environmental test operations
  3. Serve as the organization's senior technical authority for root cause analysis of environmental test anomalies, driving systemic corrective actions and preventative measures across programs
  4. Champion production autonomy by challenging requirements at the organizational level, driving process simplification across product lines, and sponsoring automation initiatives that reduce human error and manual intervention
  5. Serve as the principal subject matter expert and technical authority for environmental test processes and equipment, representing the organization in design reviews, customer engagements, and industry forums

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
  • Minimum of 10+ years in a hardware test environment
  • Demonstrated experience leading, mentoring, or technically guiding teams of engineers
  • Extensive hands-on experience with thermal chambers, TVAC chambers, and/or vibration shakers
  • Proven track record of authoring test procedures, driving process improvements, and managing non-conformances at scale
  • Strong technical writing, verbal communication, and cross-functional stakeholder management skills
  • Ability to obtain a U.S. Security Clearance
  • U.S. Citizenship

Nice to have

  • Master's degree in an engineering discipline
  • Minimum of 12+ years of experience in environmental testing, with deep expertise in vibration, thermal ambient, and thermal vacuum testing
  • Expert-level knowledge of SMC-S-016, MIL-STD-1540, GSFC-STD-7000A, or similar environmental testing standards
  • Proven experience scaling environmental test operations in a high-throughput manufacturing environment
  • Expert-level understanding of root cause analysis and related analytical methodology (Five Whys, Fishbone/Ishikawa Analysis, 8D, FMEA, etc.)

What the JD emphasized

  • U.S. Security Clearance
  • U.S. Citizenship
  • environmental testing
  • test procedures
  • root cause analysis
  • design for testability