Test Manager, Helium Test Facility

X energy LLC; Rockville (MD); On-site; USD 150,000 - 188,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K with employer match

Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance

Life and Disability Insurance

Paid Time Off

Tuition Reimbursement/Professional Dev

Job summary

X-energy LLC seeks a Test Manager to own the first-of-a-kind helium test facility for the XE-100. You will drive test rig design decisions, define campaign strategy, and coordinate execution across design engineers, vendors, and facility operators.

This leadership role requires delivering high-quality test results on schedule and within budget, while integrating QA, safety, and regulatory expectations. You will manage planning, testing, data reporting, and cross-functional teams across academia,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, or nuclear engineering.
• 10+ years of engineering experience after undergrad.
• Hands-on hardware development, testing, and experimentation.
• Experience with QA frameworks ISO 9000, ASTM or NQA-1.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute test activities per project requirements.
• Direct convergence of efforts among engineers, vendors, and operators.
• Engage Universities, Private Contractors, National Labs for experiments.
• Create and implement test plans and reports.
• Manage test engineering staff and development.
• Ensure QA compliance and safety.

Skills

Leadership

Test planning

Vendor management

Interdisciplinary fluency

Code compliance

Education

Bachelors in engineering

Tools

Quality standards

Job description

X-energy LLC conducts a thorough recruiting process and will never issue offers without interview to discuss qualifications and responsibilities. All applications will be submitted via our company career page, www.x-energy.com/careers/ . We will never ask you to provide payment information as part of the recruiting process. If anyone claiming to represent X-energy directs you in a manner otherwise, please contact us at www.x-energy.com/contact-us .Job DescriptionThe Test Manager for X-energy's Helium Test Facility owns the success of first-of-a-kind, full-scale system validation in the high-pressure, high-temperature helium environment of the XE-100. As the engineering authority on the project, you will drive test rig design decisions, define test campaign strategy, and orchestrate execution across a between design engineers, vendors, and facility operators. This is a critical-path role — your technical judgment and cross-functional leadership directly determine whether X-energy's advanced reactor systems prove out on schedule. As the single point of accountability bridging design intent, vendor execution, and operational reality, you will make high-stakes go/no-go decisions that shape program outcomes and commercial deployment timelines.Job Profile Tasks/ResponsibilitiesManages the planning and execution of the test activities of assigned projects using sound engineering principles and adhering to business standards, practices, procedures, and product / program / project requirements.Manages testing activities and provide direction to ensure the convergence of efforts of engineering team members, partners, and suppliers to ensure the successful delivery of high-quality test engineering work products are on schedule and within budget as defined by the Project leadership.Engage Universities, Private Contractors, National Labs, and internal X-energy assets to perform experimentation and testing to obtain required useful information.Manage a team who designs and operates testing facilities.Create and implement test plans.Procure material and facilities.Review test output data.Create reports based on findings.Manages test engineering staff by ensuring staff are meeting expectations and promoting staff professional development.Influences the development of strategy, methodology and technical tools for the area of responsibility, including control of resources and policy formulation.Interprets internal and external business challenges and recommends best practices to improve products, processes, tools, or services.Uses high level of judgement to make decisions and handle complex tasks or problems in areas of operations, product management, technology, or engineering.Assesses quality of information given and asks pertinent questions to stakeholders.Offers new solutions to problems outside of set parameters and can construct and provide recommendations.Work within a multidisciplinary engineering team to create the next generation nuclear reactor technologies.Ensure testing activities are performed in accordance with Quality Assurance requirements.Maintain professional demeanor and behavior at all times in all forms of communication.Perform other duties as assigned by manager.Job Profile Minimum QualificationsBachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, or nuclear engineering or related discipline from an accredited university or college.Typically, ten plus years of professional experience in engineering after completion of undergraduate study. Graduate degrees typically count as two plus years of experience. Advanced degrees typically count as three years of experience.Experience estimating time and resources needed to execute engineering activities.Hands on experience with hardware development, testing and experimentation.Demonstrated experience with design of experiment and test planning.Experience working under a formal quality assurance framework such as ISO 9000, ASTM or NQA-1.Leadership experience on hardware and testing related projects.Preferred Skills:• Proven track record leading industrial-scale test campaigns in high-pressure, high-temperature environments — particularly helium loops, gas-cooled systems, or similarly demanding test conditions where failure costs millions and delays programs• Cross-disciplinary technical fluency spanning mechanical, fluid, electrical, and systems engineering — enabling you to bridge specialist silos , make informed trade-off decisions across domains, and spot integration risks others miss• Demonstrated success managing and holding vendors accountable for complex test hardware or facility deliverables — including negotiating technical specifications, evaluating vendor proposals, adjudicating non-conformances, and making accept/reject decisions on high-value equipment• Working knowledge of ASME and ASTM codes governing pressure vessels, piping systems, and structural materials in extreme environments — sufficient to challenge vendor interpretations , guide design decisions , and ensure regulatory defensibility of test infrastructure.Location: 9801 Washingtonian Blvd, Gaithersburg, MDWork Site Expectations: 4 days in officeHours: Standard office hours are 8:00am - 5:00pm ET, Monday – FridayTravel Expectation: 10%CompensationAs required by Maryland and other applicable state law, X Energy, LLC (X-energy) lists the expected compensation range for a publicly advertised job opportunity based upon the job requirements (e.g. education/training, experience, skill sets, etc.). Individual candidates who meet the job requirements for the posted position will be offered a salary within this range based on their respective levels of education/training, experience, and other qualifications unique to them. Salary ranges may vary based on the specific office location and region referenced in the posting to take into consideration differences in cost of living and may not be reflective of all regions. Please note that compensation ranges listed for US job postings reflect base salary only and do not include benefits or other incentives.Offers within the posted salary range are commensurate with the individual’s qualifications for the position, along with a view on internal equity, market data, and room for growth. The salary range for this position is:$150,000-$187,500Position Job ClassificationFull time - ExemptBenefitsX Energy, LLC offers a robust benefits package that includes a 401K plan with an employer match, Medical/Dental /Vision Insurance, Life and Disability Insurance, Paid Time Off, and a Tuition Reimbursement/Professional Development policy that supports the continuing education of our employees.An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.X Energy, LLC participates in E-Verify. Please visit the links below for more information about E-Verify and the protection of your Right to Work.Right To Work Link: If you have the right to work, don't let anyone take it away (e-verify.gov)E-Verify Participation Link: E-Verify Participation Poster English and Spanish