System Integration and Test Lead

AscendArc; Beaverton (OR); On-site; USD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

AscendArc is seeking a System Integration and Test Lead to join our ground-breaking team building a revolutionary satellite communications system. You will connect vision to hardware, lead integration, testing, and flight readiness, and guide the FlatSat baseline for flight hardware.

You will own the AIT campaign, coordinate technicians, and drive test procedures from bench to range. This role demands leadership, hands-on hardware/software integration, and proactive plan execution in a

Qualifications

• 8+ years of spacecraft integration and test experience.
• Ownership of an AIT or FlatSat campaign including integration flow and verification.
• Hands-on experience with hardware/software integration and ground-test interfaces.
• Experience planning/executing spacecraft-level test campaigns, ideally including a launch-site campaign.
• Strong organizational and leadership skills; ability to coordinate technicians, EGSE, and test automation.

Responsibilities

• Own the FlatSat architecture and the AIT campaign flow.
• Coordinate technicians and test interns supporting integration.
• Create test sequences, EGSE strategies, and verification procedures.
• Lead launch-site campaign activities including range interface and final integration.

Skills

AIT ownership

Leadership

Hardware/software integration

System integration

Test coordination

Education

B.S./M.S. in Aerospace, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAN

1553

SpaceWire

Job description

Come join us in shaping the future! Get in on the ground floor as an early member of our System Integration and Test team as a System Integration and Test Lead developing a revolutionary satellite communications system. Connect the vision to the hardware, build it, test it and fly it.

AscendArc is a startup founded to revolutionize the satellite communications industry. We are looking for doers who want to work in a ground‑breaking and fast‑paced environment. Our success will depend on your energy, skill, and creativity.

Responsibilities

As System Integration and Test Lead you are the integration and verification technical authority for the program. You will own the FlatSat architecture and the assembly, integration, and test (AIT) campaign flow, own hardware/software integration and the ground‑test interface, and own the EGSE strategy and verification execution. You will carry the early bench work yourself before the EGSE engineer comes on, and you will coordinate the technicians and test interns who support integration. Your work follows a build‑once, mature‑forward philosophy: the test sequences, EGSE, and procedures you create on the FlatSat become the baseline for AIT on flight hardware. The role extends to the launch site campaign — shipment, fueling, final integration, encapsulation, and the range interface — where you run the spacecraft side at the range while the mission operations lead mans the control center.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of spacecraft integration and test experience and B.S. or M.S. in Aerospace, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering
• Demonstrated ownership of an AIT or FlatSat campaign, including integration flow, EGSE strategy, and verification execution
• Hands‑on experience with hardware/software integration and ground‑test interfaces (CAN, 1553, SpaceWire, or similar)
• Experience planning and executing spacecraft‑level test campaigns and, ideally, supporting a launch‑site campaign
• Strong organizational and leadership skills; able to coordinate technicians, EGSE, and test automation into a coherent campaign

Base Salary

The base salary range for this position is $160,000-210,000/year. When determining an individual’s compensation, we consider several factors including skillset, experience, job scope, and current market data, so pay for this role may vary from the amounts listed.

Legal Eligibility to Work

Due to U.S. export control regulations, this position is only open to “U.S. persons.” That means you must be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or have refugee/asylee status. Unfortunately, we cannot consider applicants on temporary work visas (such as H-1B, TN, O-1, etc.) for this role.

Equal Employment Opportunity

AscendArc is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non‑merit factor or legally protected status.