Systems Integration & Test Technician III/IV

Zone 5 Technologies; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401k with company-match

Paid time off

Sick time

Holidays

Job summary

Zone 5 Technologies in San Luis Obispo, CA, is hiring a Systems Integration & Test Technician III/IV to lead on‑the‑floor testing, integration, and troubleshooting of avionics and test rigs for development and production aircraft.

The role requires extensive hands‑on work, including building HITL stations, wiring, calibration, and process improvements, with travel for rework as needed. U.S. person status and security requirements apply.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree or technical training in electronics, avionics, or a related field, or equivalent military training.
• 5+ years of experience as an electronics, avionics, or test technician in aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability industries.
• Strong ability to read and interpret schematics, wiring diagrams, and test procedures.
• Proficiency with test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, harness testers).
• Advanced soldering, crimping, and harness fabrication skills.
• Physically capable of lifting 50 lbs.
• U.S. Person status required due to export control regulations.

Responsibilities

• Integrate, functionally test, and accept avionics and subsystems for development and production.
• Troubleshoot hardware to component and harness level; document findings.
• Record test results and configurations with accuracy.
• Lead build, wiring, and maintenance of HITL rigs and production test stations.
• Fabricate and repair complex wire harnesses to workmanship standards.
• Maintain test equipment and ensure calibration status is current.
• Redline and improve test procedures with engineering to increase throughput.
• Support production, R&D, and post-flight analysis with diagnostics and feedback.
• Train and mentor junior technicians; coordinate daily work with engineers.

Skills

Schematic literacy

Test equipment proficiency

Soldering & harness fabrication

Physical lifting (50 lbs)

Export control compliance (U.S. Person

Education

Associate’s degree or technical training in electronics/avionics

Equivalent military training

5+ years aerospace/test technician experience

Tools

CAN

UART

Ethernet

MIL-STD-1553

Multimeters/O-scopes

Harness testers

IPC/WHMA-A-620

J-STD-001

Job description

San Luis Obispo, California

At Zone 5 Technologies, we\'re redefining what\'s possible in precision weapons and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Our team of engineers and innovators are developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions to deliver affordable and scalable precision weapons, interceptors, and UAS.

We\'re building the next generation of munitions and unmanned systems for the United States and its allies. If you\'re driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on defense technology, you belong here.

Role Summary

At Zone 5 Technologies, the Systems Integration & Test team builds and operates the Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) environments and test stations used to integrate, test, and deliver avionics, systems, and sub-systems for development and production aircraft.

The Systems Integration & Test Technician III/IV is a senior hands‑on, cross‑functional role that leads technician work on the floor - building and maintaining test stations, performing integration and acceptance testing, troubleshooting hardware, and helping the team meet increasing production demand.

Responsibilities

Integration & Acceptance Testing

• Perform integration, functional, and acceptance testing of avionics, sub-assemblies, and systems for development and production.
• Troubleshoot hardware to the component and harness level and document findings.
• Record test results, discrepancies, and hardware configuration with accuracy.

Test Station Build & Maintenance

• Lead the build, wiring, and maintenance of HITL rigs and production test stations.
• Fabricate and repair complex wire harnesses to workmanship standards.
• Maintain test equipment and ensure calibration status is current.

Process & Throughput

• Redline and improve test procedures and work instructions with engineering.
• Identify bottlenecks and recommend improvements to increase test throughput and quality.
• Support engineering changes and hardware updates on test stations and articles.

Production Support

• Lead the build, development and rollout of production line testing .
• Maintain test rigs for production development .
• Perform diagnostics on production assets .
• Lead and support rework and repair of production assets (may require travel) .

Research and Development Support

• Support R&D Builds of test assets .
• Work with engineers to find and fix issues found during development .
• Lead diagnostics on test assets and give feedback to engineers on design .
• Support post flight analysis and failure analysis with engineering.

Team Support

• Train and mentor junior technicians in test, wiring, and troubleshooting practices.
• Coordinate daily technician work with engineers and production schedules.

Qualifications

• Associate\'s degree or technical training in electronics, avionics, or a related field, or equivalent military training.
• 5+ years of experience as an electronics, avionics, or test technician in aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability industries.
• Strong ability to read and interpret schematics, wiring diagrams, and test procedures.
• Proficiency with test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, harness testers).
• Advanced soldering, crimping, and harness fabrication skills.
• Physically capable of lifting 50 lbs.
• U.S. Person status required due to export control regulations.

Preferred

• IPC/WHMA-A-620 and/or J-STD-001 certification.
• Experience with avionics communication protocols (CAN, UART, Ethernet, MIL-STD-1553).
• Experience supporting production acceptance testing in a rate production environment.
• Active U.S. security clearance or ability to obtain.
• U.S. Passport and ability to travel.

Level III: $110,000 - $129,000/yr.

Level IV: $128,000 - $145,000/yr.

Pay range for this role

$110,000 - $145,000 USD

What\'s in it for you:

• Comprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.
• 401k with company-match
• 3 weeks of paid time off each year
• 40 hours of sick time
• 12 annual company holidays

Why Join Zone 5 Technologies?

• Innovative Environment: Work on cutting‑edge technology that is shaping the future of defense and aerospace.
• Collaborative Culture: Join a team of passionate professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what\'s possible.
• Career Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Zone 5 Technologies is a federal contractor and participates in E‑Verify to confirm employment eligibility. As required by law, we will verify the identity and employment authorization of all new employees using the E‑Verify system. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities under E‑Verify: https://www.e-verify.gov.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Zone 5 Technologies\’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A \"disabled veteran\" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A \"recently separated veteran\" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An \"active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran\" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An \"Armed forces service medal veteran\" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.