Test Engineering Manager

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense; Moorpark (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) in Moorpark, CA is seeking an experienced Test Engineering Manager to lead a team of Test Engineers across environmental, mechanical, and explosive testing through product life cycle.

The role reports to Engineering and emphasizes technical leadership, people development, and operational execution. This first-shift, on-site position supports cross-functional collaboration with manufacturing, QA, EHS, and customers.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in engineering, with test engineering experience.
• 3+ years in technical or people leadership.
• Mentor engineers and develop personnel.
• Strong problem solving and fault analysis.
• Experience with aerospace/defense environments.
• Willingness to work on-site in Moorpark, CA.

Responsibilities

• Lead environmental, mechanical, and explosive testing.
• Mentor and develop Test Engineers.
• Set priorities and performance expectations.
• Lead test planning and qualification reviews.
• Ensure rigorous documentation and data analysis.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams.
• Support proposals and customer reviews.
• Drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Team Leadership

Test Engineering

Root Cause Analysis

Project Management

Communication

Mentoring

Drawings Interpretation

Education

BS/MS in Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

3D CAD

Job description

At Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD), we believe that our strengths are built on our most important resource - our people. Join EBAD and you'll be a part of a team who creates cutting edge technology that will blast us into the future. No other company can match the innovative energetic solutions that we provide. At EBAD you will actively contribute to successful missions putting men, women and satellites into space, and protecting our armed service men and women around the world. If this is the culture and work environment you are seeking, then EBAD is the place for you! Job Description EBAD is seeking an experienced Test Engineering Manager to lead a team of Test Engineers supporting environmental, mechanical, and explosive testing across the product life cycle.

Reporting to the Director of Engineering, this role combines technical leadership, people development, and operational execution to ensure safe, rigorous, and efficient testing. The Test Engineering Manager works closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, EHS, Program Management, and customers to support product development, qualification, production, troubleshooting, and failure analysis. This is a first-shift, on-site position in Moorpark, CA.

Responsibilities

• Lead the safe and effective execution of environmental, mechanical, and explosive testing.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Test Engineers while building a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team.
• Establish priorities, goals, and performance expectations aligned with EBAD business objectives and customer commitments.
• Lead test planning, resource allocation, scheduling, Test Planning Meetings, and Qualification Test Readiness Reviews.
• Ensure rigorous engineering practices for test planning, execution, data analysis, documentation, and configuration control.
• Maintain visibility of schedules and risks, elevate issues early, and coordinate solutions across cross-functional teams.
• Drive structured problem solving, RCCA, standard work, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.
• Support proposals, cost and scope estimates, customer interactions, witness testing, and technical reviews.
• Improve test processes, equipment, fixtures, tooling, instrumentation, and laboratory capabilities.
• Support capital planning for test equipment, infrastructure, and capability expansion.

Requirements

• BS/MS in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant engineering experience, including test engineering experience in aerospace, defense, energetic systems, medical devices, or another high-reliability technical environment.
• Minimum of 3 years of technical and/or people leadership experience in an engineering, manufacturing, laboratory, or test environment.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop engineers and technical personnel.
• Strong problem-solving, troubleshooting, and root cause analysis skills.
• Strong project management, resource planning, and prioritization skills.
• Effective written, verbal, technical, and customer-facing communication.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, test requirements, and test data.
• Experience with 3D CAD and 2D drawings; SolidWorks preferred.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes, rapid prototyping, and product development.

Preferred Experience

• Environmental and mechanical testing, including vibration, shock, altitude/vacuum, temperature, humidity, tensile, and compression testing.
• Test instrumentation including oscilloscopes, thermocouples, accelerometers, pressure transducers, data acquisition systems, and VR9500 or similar systems.
• Explosive materials, energetic devices, and/or explosive testing.
• Experience improving engineering processes, standard work, test methods, or laboratory operations.

Compensation

Compensation: Salary Range: $150,000-$190,000 per year. Actual compensation will be determined based on education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, internal equity, and alignment with market data.

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, or veteran status.

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD), headquartered in Simsbury, CT with facilities in Moorpark, CA, and Graham, KY is a global leader of mission-critical hardware and systems solutions including precision energetics systems and innovative explosive solutions. Our capabilities include customized man-portable breaching systems; fully integrated payload system, subsystem or energetic component production; shock tube-based, signal transmission technology integrated with our highly reliable family of detonators; and armored vehicle solutions. EBAD also has extensive satellite/spacecraft and missile/aircraft/launch vehicle manufacturing capabilities for system initiation, signal transfer, separation release, actuation and deployment and flight termination. No matter what the mission, EBAD can provide tailored, customized solutions to address our customers' challenges.

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, or veteran status.