Manager, Systems Integration & Test

Woven; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 193,000 - 236,000; Full time

Job summary

CesiumAstro is seeking a Manager, Systems Integration & Test to lead an engineering team responsible for integration, verification, qualification, and acceptance testing of aerospace hardware and systems. You will establish team priorities, manage resources, develop talent, and oversee test planning, integration, troubleshooting, and qualification across programs.

This role requires deep experience in system-level integration, verification, validation, and aerospace test environments, with

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of system integration, verification, and test methods.
• Experience with aerospace hardware, qualification and acceptance testing.
• Strong leadership for engineering teams and cross-functional projects.
• Familiar with test planning, risk management, and process improvement.

Responsibilities

• Establish departmental objectives and execution plans.
• Direct systems integration and acceptance testing across programs.
• Evaluate performance, capacity, and risks to guide decisions.
• Lead supervisors and engineers, driving engagement and accountability.
• Oversee staffing, design, hiring, and talent development.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, QA, supply chain, and PM.
• Represent the team in executive reviews and customer engagements.
• Communicate performance, risks, and mitigation plans to leadership.
• Manage budgets, resources, and long-term capability planning.
• Ensure compliance with configuration management and AS9100 standards.
• Champion improvements in engineering execution and lab capabilities.

Skills

Leadership

Systems integration

Test engineering

Technical decision making

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical/mechanical/aerospace/systems engineering

Master's degree (advantage)

PhD (optional)

Tools

LabVIEW

TestStand

MATLAB

Python

IBM DOORS

Jama Connect

Windchill

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

We are looking to add a Manager, Systems Integration & Test to our team. In this role you will lead an engineering team responsible for the integration, verification, qualification, and acceptance testing of aerospace hardware and integrated systems. This role establishes team priorities, manages engineering resources and technical execution, develops engineering talent, and oversees test planning, system integration, troubleshooting, verification, and qualification activities across assigned programs. The Manager evaluates technical performance, test readiness, resource requirements, schedule progress, and integration risks to ensure test activities meet system requirements, customer commitments, quality standards, and program objectives.

This position requires an experienced systems integration and test engineering leader with expertise in system-level integration, verification and validation, qualification testing, acceptance testing, and aerospace test environments. The Manager partners cross-functionally with electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, RF engineering, software, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program management to resolve complex integration and test challenges, coordinate technical dependencies, and support successful qualification, production readiness, and product delivery.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Establish departmental objectives, operational priorities, resource strategies, and execution plans supporting organizational and business goals.
• Direct systems integration, verification, qualification, and acceptance testing activities across multiple programs while ensuring technical, schedule, cost, and quality objectives are achieved.
• Evaluate department performance, engineering capacity, technical execution, and organizational risks to support informed business and engineering decisions.
• Lead supervisors, technical leaders, and engineering staff, establishing organizational priorities and fostering employee engagement and accountability.
• Oversee workforce planning, organizational design, succession planning, hiring, performance management, and talent development to ensure long-term organizational capability.
• Build a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, continuous improvement, and operational discipline throughout the department.
• Partner with engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program management to align departmental priorities and resolve complex technical and operational challenges.
• Represent the Systems Integration & Test Engineering organization during executive program reviews, customer engagements, Test Readiness Reviews (TRRs), Failure Review Boards (FRBs), design reviews, and strategic planning activities.
• Communicate organizational performance, resource strategies, technical risks, business impacts, and mitigation plans to engineering leadership and executive management.
• Manage departmental budgets, staffing plans, laboratory resources, capital equipment, operational metrics, and long-term capability planning.
• Ensure departmental compliance with configuration management, ESD controls, FOD prevention, laboratory safety, customer requirements, and AS9100 standards.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen engineering execution, laboratory capabilities, and organizational performance.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, systems engineering, computer engineering, or a related engineering field with 7–9 years of related experience, Master's degree with 5–7 years of related experience, or PhD with 3–5 years of related experience in systems integration, test engineering, product verification, hardware validation, assembly and integration, or a related engineering discipline.
• 1–3 years of leadership or management experience leading engineering teams, technical professionals, or multidisciplinary organizations.
• Advanced knowledge of systems integration, verification, qualification, acceptance testing, and aerospace engineering methodologies.
• In-depth understanding of laboratory operations, automated test systems, instrumentation, data acquisition, and system-level verification activities.
• Comprehensive knowledge of configuration management, electrostatic discharge (ESD) controls, foreign object debris (FOD) prevention, root cause investigations, customer requirements, and AS9100 quality standards.
• Experience managing systems integration and test teams, coordinating technical resources, and overseeing test execution, qualification, acceptance, and operational performance across multiple programs.
• Proficiency in test planning, verification procedures, technical risk management, equipment utilization, and integration and test process improvement.
• Exercises sound judgment when making strategic operational, technical, personnel, and business decisions that support organizational objectives.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Test automation, instrumentation, data acquisition, and test development applications, e.g. LabVIEW, TestStand, MATLAB, Python, or equivalent applications.
• Requirements management, verification, and traceability applications, e.g. IBM DOORS, Jama Connect, or equivalent applications.
• Product lifecycle management (PLM), configuration management, test documentation, and engineering collaboration applications, e.g. Windchill, Jira, Confluence, or equivalent applications.

$193,000 - $236,000 a year

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard torace, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.