Spacecraft Environmental Test Engineer

About the role

Apex manufactures satellite buses at scale to support the growing demand for commercial space payloads. We are looking for an environmental test engineer to manage the reliability and performance verification of our spacecraft systems. You will design and execute testing protocols to simulate the harsh conditions our hardware must survive in orbit.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Create and manage test plans for vibration, shock, thermal cycling, TVAC, EMI/EMC, and pneumatic pressure testing.
• Procure, install, and maintain testing hardware such as thermal chambers and vibration shakers.
• Execute production and qualification level tests, including performance and functional checks.
• Evaluate test data, interpret results, and write technical reports.
• Troubleshoot spacecraft and test equipment issues.
• Partner with design, production, and quality teams to resolve technical problems.
• Refine testing methodologies to improve accuracy and throughput.
• Mentor technicians and junior engineers on testing procedures.

Requirements

• U.S. Persons status is mandatory for access to export-controlled data.
• Bachelor degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of aerospace environmental testing experience.
• Proficiency with aerospace standards including MIL-STD-461, GSFC-STD-7000, SMC-S-016, and MIL-STD-810.
• Hands-on experience operating environmental test hardware.
• Familiarity with instrumentation such as accelerometers, thermocouples, and data acquisition systems.

Nice to have

• Certification in aerospace testing standards.
• Background in pneumatic pressure or avionics functional testing.
• Programming skills in LabVIEW or Python.
• Experience scaling environmental testing for high-rate production.
• Proficiency with data analysis and acquisition software.

Skills & tools

• Vibration and shock testing
• Thermal vacuum testing
• EMI/EMC testing
• Pneumatic pressure testing
• LabVIEW
• Python
• Data acquisition systems

Practical notes

• Benefits include 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision for employees and dependents, plus $100k life insurance.
• Retirement plan includes 100% match on the first 3% and 50% match on the next 2% of 401(k) contributions.
• Includes 8 weeks of paid parental leave and childcare reimbursement up to $350 per day for work-related travel.
• PTO starts at 15 days of vacation plus 10 paid holidays, increasing to 20+ days annually.
• Office is located in Playa Vista with daily catered lunch provided.