Hardware Test Engineering Manager

Our mission is to provide real-time on-orbit connectivity for critical missions, enabling a new era of data-driven intelligence and innovation. With 33 satellites launched to date, Kepler operates the first commercial optical data relay constellation, enabling real-time, continuous space communications while supporting advanced on-orbit compute and hosted payload capabilities. 

Key Responsibilities:

•    Lead a hardware test engineering team delivering defined hardware test subsystems, validation infrastructure, test procedures, fixtures, automation, dashboards, and evidence packages across active programs

•    Oversee execution with moderate to high technical complexity, including prototype bring-up, design validation, qualification and acceptance testing, production test strategy, and reliability test campaigns

•    Maintain sufficient technical depth to guide sound decisions, coach engineers through difficult issues, and intervene when critical execution risks require support
 
•    Build cross-functional alignment with systems, electrical, RF, firmware, mechanical, manufacturing, program, supply chain, and quality teams so test requirements, interfaces, decision criteria, and evidence expectations are clear early in the lifecycle

•    Provide design-for-test and validation & verification input during architecture and design reviews to inform decisions through objective evidence and downstream operational risk

•    Help shape and execute the Hardware Test capability roadmap, including expanded mechanical/environmental test, automation, test data capabilities, lab equipment, automated test systems, MGSE, and facilities required to support long-term scale

•    Develop scalable test processes and systems that enable an accelerating satellite production and supports growing program complexity, including standardization of test methods, fixtures, data capture, evidence reviews, and escalation paths

•    Own research and development for advanced methods for accelerated validation, including topics in automation and artificial intelligence

•    Partner with program and business development teams to evaluate upcoming work, estimate test scope, identify resource and facility constraints, and shape plans that balance reliability, schedule, cost, and throughput

•    Set clear expectations, coach, develop, and performance-manage engineers; build a culture of ownership, technical rigor, healthy collaboration, clear communication, and continuous improvement

Required Skills & Qualifications:

•    Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
•    5+ years of experience in hardware testing, design validation, production test, or related engineering work, including experience leading engineers, technical projects, team leads, and other managers
•    Demonstrated ability to lead and manage a hardware team through product delivery, schedule commitments, quality expectations, dependency management, and cross-functional escalations
•    Demonstrates a willingness to adopt and effectively utilize AI-assisted engineering tools, applying sound judgment to improve productivity, quality, and innovation while continuously adapting to evolving technologies
•    Technical depth in lab and production test methods, including oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, multimeters, and automated test systems
•    Experience developing test strategies, plans, cases, fixtures, scripts, reports, dashboards, and well documented processes for products and subassemblies
•    Experience with at least one scripting or programming language, such as Python, MATLAB, Bash, or C/C++, and the ability to guide scalable automation and data-driven test infrastructure
•    Experience with git or other codebase versioning and management tools
•    Strong communication skills with the ability to connect technical decisions to program and business outcomes, align expectations across teams, and communicate risks and priorities clearly
•    Ability to coach engineers, build ownership, support performance and development conversations, and create an inclusive, accountable team environment
•    Demonstrated willingness and ability to leverage AI-assisted engineering and development tools to improve productivity, design quality, and innovation while adapting to evolving technologies and best practices 
 
 

Bonus Points:

•    Experience working in Linux environments, including command-line tools and terminal workflows 
•    Familiarity with networking fundamentals such as SSH, authentication, secure access, and basic connectivity troubleshooting
•    Basic experience with databases for test data storage, retrieval, and analysis, including SQL or NoSQL systems
•    Experience with space hardware design, verification, qualification, acceptance testing, environmental test, mission assurance, or reliability engineering
•    Experience scaling a test engineering function in a low-volume, high-complexity hardware environment
•    Familiarity with reliability tools and methods such as FMEA, fault trees, Weibull analysis, reliability growth, life testing, anomaly review boards, and corrective action systems
•    Experience with test automation, hardware-in-the-loop systems, data infrastructure, analytics, predictive health monitoring, or automated evidence generation
•    Experience planning capital equipment, lab capability, environmental test facilities, MGSE, or other strategic infrastructure investments