Deployable Structures Test Engineer

Espace; Saratoga (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salaries

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Health and wellness care options

Continuous learning and development

Job summary

E‑Space is seeking a Deployable Structures Test Engineer to own the ground deployment test program for our large deployable antenna structure. You will design gravity‑offload test campaigns, characterize deployment kinematics and force profiles, and verify repeatability against aperture geometry requirements.

This is a hands-on, on-site role in the US. Based out of Saratoga, CA or Arlington, TX, you will travel between sites as needed and contribute to cross‑disciplinary testing efforts to

Qualifications

• BS, MS, or Ph.D. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent.
• Experience with deployment or mechanism testing of flight hardware.
• Hands-on gravity-offload test setups for large flexible hardware.
• Experience with force/torque measurement and photogrammetry.
• Familiarity with model-test correlation for deployment dynamics.
• Knowledge of TVAC deployment testing and instrumentation challenges.

Responsibilities

• Own the deployment test plan from requirements through rig design, test execution, and post-test correlation.
• Design or oversee gravity-offload and support fixtures for large deployable structures, including friction-budget analysis and rig compliance.
• Execute deployment tests, capture force/torque profiles, trajectories, timelines, and deployment-state shapes.
• Establish ground-to-flight correlation, derive correction factors, bound residual uncertainty in flight deployment.
• Verify repeatability and sensitivity to sequencing, temperature, and lubricant state.
• Coordinate with deployment mechanism and structural teams to define integrated testing campaigns.
• Feed deployment test data into the integrated structural model and participate in model-test correlation reviews.

Skills

Aerospace engineering

Mechanical engineering

Deployment testing

Test program ownership

Ground test methods

Model-test correlation

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Gravity-offload rigs

Photogrammetry

Job description

We are looking for a Deployable Structures Test Engineer to own the ground deployment test program for E‑Space's large deployable antenna structure. This person will design and execute gravity‑offload deployment test campaigns, characterize deployment kinematics and force profiles, establish ground‑to‑flight correlation, and verify deployment repeatability against aperture geometry requirements. This is a specialized role at the intersection of mechanisms, structural testing, and test facility engineering – for someone who has thought carefully about what it actually means to simulate zero‑gravity deployment on the ground.

Location & Travel

On‑site in California or Texas. Hands‑on test facility presence required. Some travel between sites expected. Based out of our Saratoga, CA or Arlington, TX office. Compensation will be determined by relevant knowledge, skills, and experience. This is a full‑time, exempt position.

Responsibilities

• Own the deployment test plan for the antenna assembly – from test requirements definition through gravity‑offload rig design, test execution, and post‑test correlation.
• Design or oversee design of gravity‑offload and support fixtures appropriate for large flexible deployable structures, including friction‑budget analysis and rig compliance characterization.
• Execute deployment tests, capturing deployment force/torque profiles, deployable element tip trajectories, deployment timelines, and deployment‑state shape measurements (photogrammetry or equivalent).
• Establish ground‑to‑flight correlation methodology: characterize offload rig artifacts, derive correction factors, and bound residual uncertainty in flight deployment prediction.
• Verify deployment repeatability run‑to‑run and characterize sensitivity to deployment sequencing, temperature, and lubricant state.
• Coordinate with the deployment mechanism team to characterize actuator force output and locked‑state stiffness/backlash for use as structural dynamics boundary conditions.
• Coordinate with structural subsystem teams to characterize subsystem performance and define an integrated testing campaign.
• Feed deployment test data into the integrated structural model; participate in model‑test correlation reviews with the IAS structures analyst.

Qualifications

• BS, MS, or Ph.D. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent.
• Experience with deployment or mechanism testing of flight hardware – solar arrays, antennas, booms, or equivalent deployable structures.
• Hands‑on experience with gravity‑offload test setups for large flexible hardware.
• Experience with force/torque measurement, deployment kinematics instrumentation, and photogrammetry or optical shape measurement.
• Practical understanding of test‑to‑flight fidelity gaps for deployable structures in 1g.
• Experience with composite boom deployment mechanisms or wrap‑rib/coilable boom hardware.
• Familiarity with friction and lubrication behavior in space mechanisms across temperature ranges.
• Experience contributing to model‑test correlation for deployment dynamics simulations.
• Knowledge of TVAC deployment testing and the additional instrumentation challenges it introduces.

Benefits

• An opportunity to really make a difference
• Sustainability at our core
• Fair and honest workplace
• Innovative thinking is encouraged
• Competitive salaries
• Continuous learning and development
• Health and wellness care options
• Financial solutions for the future
• Optional legal services (US only)
• Paid holidays
• Paid time off

E‑Space is not currently able to provide employment sponsorship for candidates who do not hold work authorization for the location of this role.