Senior Test Engineer

ZipRecruiter; Bedford; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Senior Test Engineer to support military and government sectors by developing test plans and executing test events. This role requires a proven record in system test engineering along with leadership capabilities in high-stakes environments. The ideal candidate will have strong analytical skills and be familiar with test automation and data analysis tools.

Benefits

Medical

Dental

401k

ESOP

PTO

Education reimbursement

Work/Life Balance

Parental leave programs

Qualifications

• 15+ years of DoD system-of-systems test engineering.
• Active TS/SCI clearance required.
• Experience in avionics, communications, or C2 systems.

Responsibilities

• Build program-level Test & Evaluation Master Plan.
• Lead ground and flight-test events.
• Perform statistical analysis of mission-effect metrics.

Skills

Leadership of large‑scale DT/OT efforts

Test automation frameworks

Data analysis tools

Education

B.S. in Aerospace, Electrical, Computer Engineering

Tools

MATLAB

Pandas

JMP

Job description

Job DescriptionJob DescriptionWe have an opening for a Senior Test Engineer for our client who supports all branches of the military and government sectors.

Essential Job Functions:

• Strategy & Planning
  
  • Build the Program‑level Test & Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP) that links Nomad hardware, Smith software, and Watch ops‑support elements to CJADC2 mission threads and MR 2 exit criteria.
    
  • Define DT/OT entrance & exit gates, traceability matrices, and milestone metrics within the Integrated Master Schedule.
    
• System Integration Laboratory (SIL) Leadership
  
  • Design lab architectures replicating platform power, data, and environmental interfaces; oversee daily ops, configuration control, and security accreditation.
    
  • Implement automated regression suites (Python/Robot Framework, Jenkins, Ansible, IXIA/Spirent) covering functional, performance, and cyber‑resilience tests.
    
• Developmental & Operational Test Execution
  
  • Lead ground and flight‑test events: draft test cards, hazard analyses, Interim Authorizations To Test (IATT), and Safety‑of‑Flight packages.
    
  • Serve as lead flight‑test engineer or ground‑test conductor, capturing telemetry, logs, and spectrum traces; troubleshoot anomalies in real time.
    
• Data Analysis & Reporting
  
  • Perform statistical analysis of throughput, latency, crypto handshake times, SWaP‑C impacts, and mission‑effect metrics.
    
  • Produce concise after‑action reports, deficiency reports (DRs), and recommendations for corrective action to IPTs and senior USAF stakeholders.
    
• Continuous Integration / DevSecOps
  
  • Integrate test automation hooks into the PG DevSecOps pipeline; ensure every 90‑day Smith build passes gated SIL tests before promotion.
    
  • Champion a “shift‑left” testing mindset—embedding verification earlier in design reviews and digital engineering artefacts.
    
• Mentorship & Collaboration
  
  • Guide junior test engineers, platform SPO test reps, and Government civilians on best practices for agile T&E.
    
  • Interface with NSA, DISA, and flight‑safety authorities to align test artefacts with certification needs (ATO, crypto, airworthiness).
    

Requirements

Required Skills:

• Due to the sensitivity of customer related requirements, U.S. Citizenship is required.
  
• B.S. in Aerospace, Electrical, Computer Engineering, or related discipline (M.S. a plus) and 15+ years of DoD system‑of‑systems test engineering, including lab‑to‑flight progression.
  
• Active TS/SCI clearance.
  
• Proven leadership of large‑scale DT/OT efforts for avionics, communications, or C2 systems.
  
• Hands‑on with test automation frameworks, instrumentation, and data‑analysis tools (MATLAB, Pandas, JMP, or similar).
  
• Familiarity with MIL‑STD‑810/461, RCC 324/125‑15, or comparable environmental and EMI/EMC standards.
  
  

Desired Skills:

• Previous work on ABMS, CJADC2, OMS/UCI, or tactical data‑link programs.
  
• Experience with Type‑1 crypto, cross‑domain solutions, and RMF/eMASS artefacts.
  
• Flight‑test credentials (USAF TPS grad, FAA DER, or equivalent).
  
• Agile/Scrum or SAFe certification; knowledge of Model‑Based Test (MBSE‑driven test cases).
  

Benefits

Medical, Dental, 401k, ESOP, PTO, Education reimbursement, Work/Life Balance, Parental and other leave programs.