Test Equipment Engineer, Sr.

AV; Simi Valley (CA); On-site; USD 123,000 - 187,000; Full time

Job summary

AV in California seeks a Sr. Test Equipment Engineer to design, develop, and implement test methods for PCBAs, subsystems, and systems, supporting unmanned aircraft and payload testing.

You will lead test plans, analyze results, and work with cross-functional teams to drive deliverables on aggressive timelines while advancing power conversion, motor control, and avionics testing across development and manufacturing.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical or Software Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 8–12 years in development/test solutions in manufacturing environments with NI TestStand/LabVIEW.
• Experience writing test plans from requirements and specs.
• Experience in bug reports and root-cause analyses.
• Ability to estimate cost and lead time from specs and lifecycle stages.
• Broad engineering knowledge across mechanical, electrical, and test instrumentation.
• Strong test planning, writing, and execution of specs and tests.
• Familiar with manual and automated testing across product lifecycles.

Responsibilities

• Designs, develops, deploys, troubleshoots and upgrades test equipment for PCBAs and subsystems.
• Uses C# / OOP within Visual Studio; NI TestStand and LabVIEW experience required.
• Develops test plans, requirements, specifications, and strategies.
• Analyzes, processes, and formats test results for decision making.
• Drives for results and meets project deliverables on aggressive timelines.
• Collaborates with diverse teams across disciplines; provides feedback to design teams.
• Develops power conversion devices, motor control systems, and avionics from design to testing.

Skills

C# / OOP programming

Visual Studio IDE

NI TestStand

LabVIEW

Test planning

Cost estimation

Team collaboration

RF testing experience

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Software Engineering

MS degree (preferred)

Tools

PXI-based test systems

LabVIEW

NI TestStand

Visual Studio IDE

Job description

Job Description

The

Worker Type

Regular

Summary

The Sr. Test Equipment Engineer designs, develops and implements cost-effective methods of testing and troubleshooting systems and equipment for all phases of product development and manufacturing. In this role, one supports the integration and testing of unmanned aircraft systems and payloads.

Position Responsibilities

• Designs, develops, deploys, troubleshoots and upgrades test equipment used in testing PCBAs, sub-systems, and systems
• This position requires C# / OOP software development using Visual Studio IDE. Experience in NI TestStand & LabVIEW is also required
• Develops test plans, requirements/specifications and strategies
• Analyzes, processes, and formats test results
• Independently drives for results & consistently meets deliverables on projects with aggressive timelines
• Works with diverse teams across multiple disciplines
• Provides timely feedback to the product design team to improve the testability of design
• Develop a variety of power conversion devices, motor control systems and avionics from early stages of design through final testing and manufacturing support
• Execute functional, performance and environmental tests on avionics power & propulsion components
• Uses professional concepts and company objectives to resolve complex issues in creative and effective ways. Works on complex issues where analysis of data requires an in-depth evaluation of intangibles
• Determines methods and procedures on new assignments and may coordinate activities of other team members (Team Lead)
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• B.S. degree in Electrical or Software Engineering is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• Minimum of 8 – 12 years of experience in development test solutions used in a manufacturing production environment and experience with NI TestStand and LabVIEW or certified.
• Experienced in writing Test Plans based on functional requirements and technical specifications
• Experienced in writing bug reports and root-cause analyses
• Ability to generate cost and lead time estimates based on different levels of specifications at different life cycle stages of a project
• Comprehensive knowledge of engineering disciplines including mechanical and electrical design, material properties, and test instrumentation
• Strong proficiency in planning, writing, and executing test specifications
• Demonstrated strong knowledge of various manual and automated testing methodologies at all stages of product development
• Strong testing knowledge & ability to use latest testing technology and standards

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• M.S. degree preferred
• Experience designing PXI based test system with NI TestStand as test executive, LabVIEW as ADE
• National Instruments LabVIEW & TestStand Architect Certified (preferred)
• Radio Frequency (RF) test experience preferred
• Experienced in Object Oriented Programming (C# programming using Visual Studio IDE a plus)
• Exercises sound judgement in selecting methods, techniques & evaluation criteria for obtaining results
• Strong quality, risk quantification, and technical leadership skills
• Possesses effective problem resolution, judgment & decision making skills
• Strong oral and written communications skills
• Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties
• Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives
• Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products
• Is committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others, and the company
• Focused on teamwork, collaboration and putting the success of the team above one's own interests

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment (Constant)
• Required to sit and stand for long periods (Frequent)
• Required to talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)
• Able to lift up to 10 lbs. and carry objects of varying sizes and shapes (Occasional)

Clearance Level

No Clearance

The Salary Range For This Role Is

$122,500 - $187,000

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR

• 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits

AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

About AV

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR

U.S. Citizenship required