Test Planner and Manager

Darkwolfsolutions; Mountain View (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Dark Wolf seeks a Test Planner and Manager (TPM) to join the Test & Evaluation team. This role bridges commercial innovation and military adoption, embedding rigorous T&E requirements and milestones into non-traditional acquisition pathways across the full project lifecycle.

The TPM will design end-to-end test strategies, translating operational needs into MOPs/MOEs, and navigate regulatory gating to secure early approvals while aligning vendors, Program Managers, and Service test organizations

Qualifications

• 5+ years of directly relevant test planning, test management, and full lifecycle T&E experience within DoD or national security domains.
• Experience with non-traditional acquisition pathways (CSOs, OTAs) and governance frameworks.
• Strong engineering literacy in a relevant discipline (e.g., Aeronautical, Electrical, Systems, Cybersecurity, or related field).
• Deep working knowledge of military and federal regulatory processes (airworthiness, spectrum, safety, cyber certifications).
• Outstanding executive writing, briefing, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Design end-to-end test strategies translating operational needs and vendor capability claims into structured test plans.
• Embed T&E requirements, milestone evidence, and rapid iteration cadences into non-traditional acquisition pathways from pre-solicitation through post-test reporting.
• Navigate regulatory gating—including flight clearances, airworthiness, spectrum, safety, and cybersecurity authorities.
• Act as a central integrator connecting commercial vendors, Government PMs, and Service test organizations to generate decision-ready evidence.
• Draft clear, technically sound test plans and deliver executive-level documentation to influence project decisions.

Skills

Test planning

Test management

DoD / national security

Regulatory knowledge

Executive writing

Cross-functional leadership

Travel readiness

Security clearance

Education

Engineering background

Job description

Dark Wolf is seeking a Test Planner and Manager (TPM) to join our Test & Evaluation (T&E) team. Serving as the critical bridge between commercial innovation and military adoption, the successful candidate will embed rigorous, defensible T&E requirements, milestone evidence, and iteration cadences into non-traditional acquisition pathways (CSOs, OTAs) across the full project lifecycle. In this role, you will design end-to-end test strategies and architectures by translating operational needs and capability claims into structured test plans, defining key Measures of Performance (MOPs) / Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs), Modeling & Simulation (M&S) vs. physical range methodologies, and data requirements. Acting as a key integrator, you will navigate regulatory gating (flight clearances, airworthiness, spectrum, safety, and cyber authorities) to secure early approvals while aligning commercial vendors, Program Managers, and Service test organizations to deliver decision ready evidence that accelerates military fielding. This position will require around 30% travel. Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Designing end-to-end test strategies by translating operational needs and vendor capability claims into structured test plans. Define key Measures of Performance (MOPs), Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs), Modeling & Simulation (M&S) vs. physical range methodologies, and data requirements.
• Embedding T&E requirements, milestone evidence, and rapid iteration cadences into non-traditional acquisition pathways (e.g., Commercial Solutions Openings [CSOs], Other Transaction Authorities [OTAs]) from pre-solicitation through post-test reporting.
• Guiding projects through regulatory gating—including flight clearances, airworthiness, spectrum allocations, safety, and cybersecurity authorities—to secure approvals early in the lifecycle.
• Acting as a central integrator connecting commercial vendors, Government Program Managers, and Service test organizations to generate decision-ready evidence that accelerates military fielding.
• Drafting clear, technically sound test plans and deliver executive-level documentation to influence project decisions without requiring direct operational ownership.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of directly relevant test planning, test management, and full lifecycle T&E experience within DoD or national security domains.
• Proven track record with non-traditional acquisition pathways (CSOs, OTAs) and governance frameworks.
• Strong engineering literacy in a relevant discipline (e.g., Aeronautical, Electrical, Systems, Cybersecurity, or related field).
• Deep working knowledge of military and federal regulatory processes (airworthiness, spectrum, safety, cyber certifications).
• Outstanding executive writing, briefing, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Ability to travel up to 30% to support range events, partner facilities, and vendor sites.
• US Citizenship and a Secret security clearance.

This position is hybrid with travel requirements in the Southwest region of the United States.

The estimated salary range for this position is $150,000.00 - $175,000.00, commensurate on experience and technical skillset.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled and other protected categories.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity, confirm US Citizenship, and complete the required employment eligibility verification upon hire.