Test Software & Automation Engineer

General Atomics; Acton (MA); On-site; USD 106,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) in Acton, MA, is seeking a Test Software & Automation Engineer to design and automate EO/IR payload test software for aerospace applications. You’ll collaborate across systems, software, and electrical teams to plan integration activities, automate workflows, and ensure performance requirements are met.

The role is full-time in Acton, MA, with opportunities to lead software development practices and mentor junior engineers in a hands-on lab

Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelor's, master's or PhD in engineering or related technical discipline with progressive experience (8+ years with BA, 7+ with MS, or 4+ with PhD).
• Strong Python software-development experience in production or engineering environments.
• Experience architecting and maintaining nontrivial software systems.
• Experience interfacing software with hardware, embedded systems, or lab equipment.
• Strong understanding of software architecture, modular design, and automated testing.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical lead for payload test software, test automation, and software-based EGSE.
• Architect reusable test software frameworks for payload integration, functional test, and production.
• Lead development of hardware interfaces to laboratory equipment and payload subsystems.
• Develop operator-facing applications for configuration, telemetry visualization, and test execution.
• Define architectures for repeatable, automated test execution.
• Establish data acquisition, processing, and visualization for test metrics.
• Drive CI/CD, automated testing, and deployment practices for test software.

Skills

Python

Software architecture

QA/testing

Mentoring

Lab equipment

Technical writing

DoD Clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master's degree in engineering

PhD in engineering

Tools

CI/CD

Containers

Linux

Databases

Job description

Job Summary

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) designs and manufactures first-of-a-kind electromagnetic and electric power generation systems. GA-EMS' expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions support critical fleet, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and process and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.

Job Summary

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) designs and manufactures first-of-a-kind electromagnetic and electric power generation systems. GA-EMS' expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions support critical fleet, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and process and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.

At GA-EMS – Optical Sensor Systems, we design, build, and test advanced electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) space payload that power next-generation remote-sensing systems.

You’ll join a multidisciplinary team tackling technically challenging problems in a collaborative, hands on environment.

We value innovation, rigor, and accountability—offering opportunities for growth and leadership based on technical excellence.

We are seeking a highly motivated Test Software & Automation Engineer to join our Optical Payload Integration & Test (I&T) team. This role focuses on electro-optical payload test software, test automation, and software-based payload subsystems. You will work closely with systems, software, and electrical engineers to plan and execute integration activities, automate test workflows, and ensure performance and reliability requirements are met. Candidates should be comfortable working in laboratory and cleanroom environments with test hardware, software interfaces, and data analysis tools. This is a full-time position located in Acton, MA.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as technical lead for payload test software, test automation, and software-based EGSE
• Architect reusable test software frameworks supporting payload integration, functional test, characterization, qualification, acceptance, and production
• Lead development of hardware abstraction layers and interfaces to laboratory equipment, payload electronics, sensors, motion system, optical equipment, and other GSE
• Develop operator-facing applications for configuration, commanding, telemetry visualization, test execution, and data review
• Define software architectures supporting repeatable, automated, configuration-controlled test execution
• Develop and maintain data acquisition, data processing, image-analysis, visualization, and database infrastructure
• Establish software development practices appropriate for test systems, including source control, code review, automated testing, CI/CD, release management, and deployment
• Support automated verification and regression testing of flight and test software
• Lead troubleshooting of software/hardware integration issues in laboratory environments
• Reduce operator-dependent activities through automation, validation, interlocks, and appropriate user-interface design
• Mentor junior software personnel and provide technical direction, design reviews, and code reviews
• Collaborate with system and test engineers to translate test requirements into maintainable software capabilities
• Develop common software capabilities reusable across multiple programs and test stations

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply

Job Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelors degree, masters degree or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience as follows; nine or more years of experience with a bachelors degree, seven or more years of experience with a masters degree, or four or more years with a PhD. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
• Strong Python software-development experience in production or engineering environments
• Demonstrated experience architecting and maintaining a nontrivial software system, rather than individual scripts and utilities
• Demonstrated experience interfacing software with physical hardware, embedded systems, laboratory equipment, or other external devices
• Strong understanding of software architecture, modular design, interface definition, configuration management, and automated testing
• Strong debugging skills across software, communications, operating-system, and hardware interfaces
• Ability to mentor less experienced software developers and review their technical work
• Comfortable working directly in laboratories with engineers and hardware
• Strong technical writing, documentation, and communication skills
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance is required

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CI/CD, automated deployment, containers, or infrastructure automation
• Experience with databases and high-volume engineering/test data
• Linux development and deployment experience
• Experiencing developing test software or EGSE for aerospace, defense, semiconductor, robotics, scientific instrumentation, or similarly hardware-intensive environments
• Experience with GUIs and real-time engineering visualization
• Experience with Python scientific/data tools such as NumPy, SciPy, pandas/Polars, OpenCV, or similar
• Experience with network protocols, serial communications, CAN, Ethernet, TCP/UDP, REST, ZeroMQ, or similar machine interfaces
• Familiarity with FPGA/embedded-system integration
• Image processing or EO/IR data experience
• Experience designing software for multiple test stations or production environments where repeatability and operator-error reduction matter

Job Type: Full-Time Salary

Salary range: 105,890 - 189,545