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Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company

Manufactures high-reliability payload release systems

Electrical Test Engineer

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
$100k - $140k/yr
Mid
Bachelor's, Master's
Moorpark, CA, USA
In Person
Hardware EngineeringHardware Validation & Testing
Company Does Not Provide H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A BS or MS in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering is required.
  • A minimum of 3 years of related engineering experience is required.
  • Experience with C# programming in a .NET environment is required.
  • Experience interfacing computers with electronic instrumentation is required.
  • Experience with Microsoft SQL and database design is required.
  • Demonstrated competency developing automated test software for electronic products is required.
  • Knowledge of standard laboratory equipment, including power supplies, oscilloscopes, and digital multimeters, is required.
  • Experience reading electrical schematics for analog and digital circuits is required.
  • Ability to interpret and analyze mechanical and/or electrical specification requirements and data is required.
  • Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills are required for interaction with teammates, test technicians, management, and customers.
Responsibilities
  • Serve as the technical lead for development, validation, and troubleshooting of Electronics Support Equipment and Special Test Equipment.
  • Program automated test stands in C#.
  • Create automated testing algorithms for electromechanical device testing.
  • Incorporate communication with standard test equipment, including power supplies, multimeters, electronic loads, and data acquisition units.
  • Incorporate communication with SQL databases for test inputs and outputs.
  • Support rapid software updates for active development and production tests.
  • Provide sustaining engineering on production programs.
  • Interpret test data and results.
  • Solve engineering problems, investigate failures, and take corrective actions.
  • Perform verification and validation against technical requirements.
  • Complete schematic capture and PCB layout activities using Altium Designer.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience working in an aerospace industry test laboratory or production environment.
  • Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout using Altium Designer.
  • Experience using MATLAB and MathCAD.
  • Previous experience troubleshooting problems in a production-floor environment.
  • Experience working in a development environment.
  • Fundamental knowledge of root cause, corrective, and preventive action.
  • Ability to design and produce test boxes as needed, such as a breakout box.
  • Hands-on experience with soldering and assembly.
  • Knowledge of PCB assembly, electromechanical assembly, IPC, and J-STD specifications.
  • Analog circuit board design and troubleshooting experience.

About the company

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Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company

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Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense provides high-reliability payload release and spacecraft deployment solutions for space and defense missions. Its main products, Multi Point Payload Release Mechanisms (PRM) and Hold Down Release Mechanisms (HDRM), are precision mechanical systems that hold payloads securely during launch and release them on command to enable safe satellite deployment. The company differentiates itself with decades of aerospace heritage dating back to 1836, plus tailored engineering, rigorous testing, and strong collaboration with government and private sector clients to ensure safety and performance. The goal is to deliver dependable, proven hardware that helps customers achieve mission success while supporting STEM education and community initiatives.

Company Size

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Company Stage

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Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Simsbury, Connecticut

Founded

N/A

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • January 2026 Falcon 9 Twilight mission proved PRM9103 flight success.
  • March 2026 Navy MK8 order and January 2026 MK68 sourcing show sticky demand.
  • EBAD's 2026 hiring and Top Workplace status signal continued production expansion.

What critics are saying

  • Beyond Gravity's 2024 suit exposed pricing leverage fights tied to Amazon Kuiper deliveries.
  • EBAD's customer concentration in NASA, SpaceX, and Navy programs ties revenue to few winners.
  • A failed Artemis III, PRM9106, or Kuiper qualification cycle would crush credibility.

What makes Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company unique

  • EBAD's NEA heritage still wins sole-source DoD awards in 2026.
  • Artemis II validated EBAD separation hardware across NASA's 2026 lunar mission.
  • PRM family spans 150-kilogram to 2,000-kilogram spacecraft, unlike narrow-point competitors.

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Benefits

  • Professional Development Budget
  • Health Insurance
  • Paid Vacation

Company News

Ebad
Sep 3rd, 2026
Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Inducted into the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame Simsbury-based aerospace manufacturer honored for 190 years of innovation and its critical role in NASA's h...

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Inducted into the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame Simsbury-based aerospace manufacturer honored for 190 years of innovation and its critical role in NASA's historic Artemis II mission. SIMSBURY, Conn. - September 1, 2026 - Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense (EBAD) was inducted into the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame yesterday at the Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum, held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Lisa Brown, EBAD's Market Segment Director for Launch Vehicles, accepted the honor on behalf of the company. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal presented the induction, with Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Chief Manufacturing Officer Kirti Patel also in attendance. The induction recognizes EBAD's 190-year manufacturing legacy in Simsbury, dating back to 1836 and William Bickford's invention of the safety fuse, as well as the company's role as a critical supplier on NASA's Artemis II mission. Hardware designed and built by EBAD performed successfully throughout Artemis II, the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit in more than 50 years. During the nearly 10-day mission, which launched April 1, 2026, four astronauts traveled approximately 1.4 million miles, reaching a record distance of 252,756 miles from Earth before safely returning home. EBAD engineered the critical separation hardware that helped separate Orion's Crew Module from its Service Module, a crucial step ahead of the astronauts' return to Earth. "From the same Simsbury factory where this all began, we are honored to be recognized alongside Connecticut's most iconic manufacturing innovators," said Lisa Brown, Market Segment Director for Launch Vehicles, EBAD. "This induction belongs to every EBAD employee, past and present, whose precision and dedication have helped carry Connecticut manufacturing from mining safety caps to the Moon and beyond." The Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum, presented by Connecticut Office of Manufacturing, brought together manufacturers, educators and state leaders to explore the technologies, strategies and workforce solutions shaping the industry's future. EBAD served as an event sponsor alongside RBC Bearings, Trumpf, CLA and Raymond James, with Fox61 as media partner. Founded in 2014, the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame honors Connecticut's manufacturing and innovation legacy, celebrating a state that has served as a birthplace of innovation for more than 350 years - from the helicopter and the nuclear submarine to the first spacesuit worn on the Moon. americanmanufacturinghof.com