Test Engineer, R&D

Jobtailor; California (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor seeks a hands-on Test Program Owner to lead compressor test campaigns from bare-bay setup through validated performance maps. You will establish test cells, define measurement chains, and drive data-driven design iterations with hardware and software teams.

Responsibilities include writing interlocks and abort criteria for high-speed, high-pressure equipment, managing uncertainty budgets, and translating test results into weekly design changes. Travel and relocation may be required.

Qualifications

• Experience commissioning a test stand from a bare bay, including instrumentation, calibration, shakedown, and first article.
• Experience deliberately taking a machine to failure with sufficient instrumentation to determine the cause.
• Experience owning an uncertainty budget and assessing measurement value.
• Experience writing interlock and abort logic for stored energy, high-pressure, or high-speed systems.
• Experience challenging design-team conclusions based on test data.
• Experience carrying failure investigations through root cause and hardware changes.
• Bonus experience in propulsion and engine testing, including hot fire, spin pit, or green run.
• Bonus experience with rotating machinery testing, including compressors, turbines, or motor test benches.
• Bonus experience with data acquisition and rig control, including LabVIEW, NI, or PLC-based stands.
• Bonus experience with thermal and refrigeration performance testing, including COP mapping or calorimetry.

Responsibilities

• Own the test program ownership for compressors, from first spin on the stand to a validated performance map.
• Specify and establish test cells from an empty bay, including motor test bench, high-pressure gas loop, load bank, and instrumentation.
• Define the measurement chain and uncertainty budget for isentropic efficiency and COP measurements.
• Write test plans, interlocks, and abort criteria for high-speed and high-pressure machinery.
• Convert test data into weekly design changes as part of the design loop.
• Collaborate within teams spanning hardware and software to build AI compute infrastructure.

Skills

Test Program Ownership

Measurement Uncertainty Budgeting

Failure Investigation

Interlock Logic Writing

Data Acquisition

Tools

LabVIEW

NI

PLC-Based Stands

High-Pressure Gas Loops

Motor Test Bench

Job description

• Own the test program taking the compressor from first spin on the stand to a validated performance map
• Specify and establish test cells from an empty bay, including motor test bench, high-pressure gas loop, load bank, and instrumentation
• Define the measurement chain and uncertainty budget for isentropic efficiency and COP measurements
• Write test plans, interlocks, and abort criteria for high-speed and high-pressure machinery
• Convert test data into weekly design changes as part of the design loop
• Work on thermofluids R&D problems including compressor and chiller design, working-fluid and cycle architecture, heat exchangers, two-phase heat transfer, and thermal energy storage
• Collaborate within teams spanning hardware and software to build AI compute infrastructure

Requirements

• Experience commissioning a test stand from a bare bay, including instrumentation, calibration, shakedown, and first article
• Experience deliberately taking a machine to failure with sufficient instrumentation to determine the cause
• Experience owning an uncertainty budget and assessing measurement value
• Experience writing interlock and abort logic for stored energy, high-pressure, or high-speed systems
• Experience challenging design-team conclusions based on test data
• Experience carrying failure investigations through root cause and hardware changes
• Bonus experience in propulsion and engine testing, including hot fire, spin pit, or green run
• Bonus experience with rotating machinery testing, including compressors, turbines, or motor test benches
• Bonus experience with high-pressure gas loops and pressure-rated test rigs
• Bonus experience with data acquisition and rig control, including LabVIEW, NI, or PLC-based stands
• Bonus experience with thermal and refrigeration performance testing, including COP mapping or calorimetry
• Authorization to work in the United States
• Willingness to answer questions about travel and relocation
• Resume/CV required for application

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in test program ownership for compressors, including the establishment of test cells and measurement chains. Proficient in data analysis for design improvements and experienced in thermofluids R&D, particularly in compressor and chiller design.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Test Program Ownership
• Measurement Chain Definition
• Interlock Logic Writing
• Failure Investigation
• Data Acquisition and Rig Control

Hard Skills

• Test Program Management
• Measurement Uncertainty Budgeting
• Thermofluids R&D
• Compressor Design
• Chiller Design
• Heat Exchanger Design
• Two-Phase Heat Transfer
• Thermal Energy Storage
• COP Mapping
• Calorimetry

Industry Keywords

• High-Speed Machinery
• High-Pressure Systems
• Rotating Machinery Testing
• Propulsion Testing
• Engine Testing

Tools & Technologies

• LabVIEW
• NI
• PLC-Based Stands
• High-Pressure Gas Loops
• Motor Test Bench