Mid-Level System Test Engineer

Socket.dev; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Technologies Group is seeking a Mid-Level System Test Engineer to support the Missile Defense Agency space systems testing and integration efforts under the IRES contract. The role emphasizes verification, validation, and mission-readiness across complex satellite ground environments.

You will design test strategies, automate tests for CI/CD pipelines, and coordinate with vendors, Agile teams, and government stakeholders in secure DoD environments. A TS/SCI pipeline is preferred.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of full-time general work experience; advanced education may reduce requirement.
• 3+ years in complex enterprise IT system testing and integration.
• Experience with enterprise IT infrastructure: servers, networks, storage, virtualization, and services.
• Strong ability to author test plans and lead complex test campaigns.
• Experience designing or executing test automation solutions.
• Experience coordinating across vendors, engineering teams, Agile groups, and government stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute system-level test strategies, plans, procedures, and verification artifacts.
• Provide technical guidance to MDSEA System Engineers for test standardization and targets.
• Coordinate test activities across multiple vendors and government stakeholders.
• Manage the Integrated Master Test Schedule for DT/OT events and readiness reviews.
• Conduct functional, integration, regression, performance, cybersecurity, and end-to-end mission system testing.
• Validate software builds and configurations of enterprise satellite ground system components.
• Design and maintain automated test scripts for CI/CD pipelines and DevSecOps workflows.
• Lead defect triage, root-cause analyses, and coordinate resolutions across teams.
• Produce test reports, readiness assessments, risk summaries, and brief leadership.

Skills

Test planning

Test execution

Automation scripting

DevSecOps

Systems engineering

Agile

V-model knowledge

Cybersecurity testing

Vendor coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

CI/CD pipelines

virtualization

Job description

Description

Position Summary

The Mid-Level System Test Engineer supports the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Space Systems Test & Integration team and the Missile Defense Space Enterprise Architecture (MDSEA) under the Integrated Research and Development for Enterprise Solutions (IRES) contract. The role provides technical guidance for verification, validation, integration, and mission-readiness activities across complex satellite ground system environments. This position supports system-level testing, mission system integration, enterprise IT infrastructure, test automation, and DevSecOps-aligned development pipelines while coordinating with multidisciplinary engineering teams, vendors, and government stakeholders in secure DoD environments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and execute system-level test strategies, plans, procedures, and verification artifacts.
• Provide technical guidance to MDSEA System Engineers to support test standardization and achievement of performance targets.
• Coordinate test activities across multiple vendors, engineering teams, Agile groups, and government stakeholders.
• Manage the Integrated Master Test Schedule (IMTS) for Developmental Test/Operational Test (DT/OT) events, integration milestones, and readiness reviews.
• Conduct functional, integration, regression, performance, cybersecurity, and end-to-end mission system testing.
• Validate software builds, configuration changes, and modifications to enterprise satellite ground system components.
• Test enterprise IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, storage systems, virtualized environments, and mission-critical enterprise services.
• Design, develop, and maintain automated test scripts for integration into modern DevSecOps CI/CD pipelines to increase test coverage and efficiency.
• Apply familiarity with DevSecOps/DevOps pipelines to support Infrastructure as Code through automated builds, deployments, and integration workflows.
• Identify, document, and track system anomalies; lead defect triage and root-cause analyses for complex system issues; and coordinate resolution across multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Produce test reports, readiness assessments, risk summaries, and technical briefings for leadership and government stakeholders.
• Support strict configuration management, cybersecurity compliance, and test documentation quality.
• Provide technical test leadership during integration events, readiness reviews, operational demonstrations, and certification milestones.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must possess an active DoW Secret security clearance.
• 6+ years of full-time general work experience; requirement may be reduced with completion of advanced education.
• 3+ years of directly related experience in complex enterprise IT system testing and integration, supported by a solid foundation in systems engineering principles.
• Experience with enterprise IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, storage, virtualization, and system services.
• Demonstrated high proficiency in authoring comprehensive test plans and test cases and leading the execution of complex test campaigns.
• Experience designing or executing test automation solutions.
• Experience coordinating across multiple vendors, engineering teams, Agile environments, and government stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of requirements analysis, verification methodologies, and the Systems Engineering V-model.
• Experience decomposing complex systems into testable components.
• Familiarity with Agile practices and secure development workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with space mission systems or enterprise satellite ground architectures.
• One or more relevant DoW 8570 IAT Level II certifications, such as Security+.
• Ability to operate independently within classified DoD environments.
• Ability to obtain a Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Familiarity with DevSecOps/DevOps pipelines, CI/CD workflows, automated software deployments, and secure air-gapped environments.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

Northern Technologies Group is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local law.

Travel

Up to 10%

Shift

Day shift; normal office hours that align with the core hours of the customer

Note

The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, drug free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.

The salary range listed represents a good faith estimate and is provided in compliance with applicable pay transparency laws. The final compensation offered will be determined based on a variety of factors, including your skills, experience, qualifications, internal equity, and market conditions.