Development Test Engineer

Beyond Reach Labs (YC W26); New York (NY); On-site; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Beyond Reach Labs in New York seeks a Development Test Engineer to design, build, and operate the test infrastructure that proves out our deployable space hardware.

You will oversee test campaigns from development to qualification, fabricate test stands, wire DAQ systems, and help mature hardware with data-driven recommendations. Join a hands-on team advancing spaceflight hardware.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, or related field.
• 1+ years hands-on experience fabricating or operating test hardware/DAQ systems.
• Experience developing test procedures and documentation for acceptance/qualification tests.
• Working knowledge of instrumentation and data acquisition fundamentals.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership and work in small teams.

Responsibilities

• Design, fabricate, and instrument test rigs and stands for deployable mechanisms and hardware.
• Fabricate and wire DAQ systems, select sensors, condition signals, arrange instrumentation.
• Produce drawings and wiring schematics for test equipment.
• Operate test systems from development to qualification testing and troubleshoot.
• Synthesize test results into recommendations for design/manufacturing.

Skills

Test hardware

DAQ systems

Instrumentation

Data analysis

Project ownership

Education

Mechanical Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Tools

DAQ hardware

Test rigs

Schematic drawing

Job description

They say the best deployable is no deployable, but we believe large deployable mechanisms are the future for large infrastructure in space. At Beyond Reach Labs, we are designing and building the largest deployable structures ever flown to space. As an engineering-driven organization, you will be at the forefront of the company's key technology development. To make this possible, every mechanism, structure, and actuator we develop needs to be proven out on the ground before it ever sees flight.

As a Development Test Engineer at BRL, you will design, build, and operate the test infrastructure that proves out our hardware. You will be responsible for subassembly-level development testing through full-scale deployment testing of flight hardware. Your work will span the full development cycle: standing up data acquisition systems, fabricating test stands and fixtures, writing procedures and performing testing that take a mechanism from a prototype to qualified and acceptance tested spaceflight hardware.

Key Responsibilities

• Test Design and Fabrication
  • Design, fabricate, and instrument test rigs and stands for deployable mechanisms, structural test articles, and motor/actuator hardware.
  • Fabricate and wire data acquisition (DAQ) systems, including sensor selection, signal conditioning, and instrumentation layout.
  • Produce fabrication drawings, wiring schematics, and instrumentation lists for test equipment.
  • Examine opportunities for streamlining and automating testing where necessary for acceptance testing or long‑term production.
• Test Operations and Data Review
  • Operate test systems across development, acceptance, and qualification testing, from full‑scale deployment tests down to subassembly‑level characterization.
  • Run test campaigns hands‑on, including test article integration, activation, execution, and troubleshooting.
  • Reduce and review test data, and work with design engineers to identify anomalies and root cause.
  • Own the outcome, not just the execution: synthesize test results and performance trends into concrete recommendations back to design and manufacturing to mature the hardware — you're expected to catch what the data is telling you before it becomes a program problem.
• Procedures and Qualification
  • Develop and write acceptance test procedures (ATPs) and qualification test plans for flight hardware and ground support equipment.
  • Define qualification approaches and acceptance testing methods in coordination with responsible engineers.
  • Maintain configuration control of test procedures, test data, and as‑run documentation.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• 1+ years of experience in a hands‑on engineering role fabricating or operating test hardware, DAQ systems, or test rigs.
• Experience developing test procedures, including acceptance test or qualification test documentation.
• Working knowledge of instrumentation and data acquisition fundamentals (sensors, signal conditioning, sampling).
• Demonstrated ability of taking project ownership and working well in small teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• ~5 years of experience in hardware development testing.
• Direct experience testing spaceflight hardware — through development, acceptance, and qualification testing.
• Direct prior experience designing, fabricating, and operating test rigs and stands for mechanisms, structural test articles, motors, or actuators, including DAQ hardware/software and common test instrumentation.
• Direct prior experience with large, lightweight deployable structure testing (gravity‑offload, deployment dynamics, or similar test methods).
• Demonstrated data reduction, data review and automation proficiency/capabilities.

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to support critical project milestones.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or eligible for authorization under U.S. export regulations.

Compensation

Compensation Range: $100K - $160K