Test Engineer, Oxygen Verified today

Test Engineer, Oxygen

The Development Test team at SpaceX supports Starship, Dragon, Falcon, and Starlink programs. This role focuses on high-pressure oxygen propellant systems, where you will design and execute test campaigns to ensure the safety and reliability of Starship's oxygen hardware.

Your responsibilities

• Develop and execute tests at material, component and subsystem level to evaluate hardware performance and survivability during mission.
• Design, fabricate and operationalize novel test capabilities to assess material and component flammability in high-pressure oxygen environments.
• Lead complete test campaigns: create test plans, activate new systems, run operations, review data, and design/fabricate test stand equipment.
• Provide daily direction to technicians on fabrication and integration of test articles and stand equipment.
• Develop and maintain test procedures, sequences, scripts, configuration files, and software.
• Operate and troubleshoot National Instruments-based data acquisition and control systems, wiring, and instrumentation.
• Operate fluid and mechanical systems including low to high-pressure gaseous working fluids, rocket propellants (hypergols and cryogenics), valves, reliefs, tubing, heat exchangers, vacuum pumps, and structural components.
• Automate repetitive test operations to increase efficiency and safety while maintaining rigor.
• Identify and characterize system hazards and collaborate with design engineers on improvements for test stands and flight hardware.
• Facilitate oxygen system risk analysis by defining test strategies, developing data, and qualifying hardware.

Basic qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or other engineering field.
• 1+ years of hands-on testing experience (internships, clubs, or extra-curricular activities qualify).

Preferred experience

• 2 years of hands-on experience with mechanical, structural, propulsion, fluid systems, flight hardware, or test operations.
• Knowledge of hazardous systems: cryogenic, flammable, hypergolic, pyrophoric.
• Knowledge of high-pressure system design and handling.
• Knowledge of oxygen system design, including component selection, cleanliness, and operational considerations.
• Familiarity with material flammability in high-pressure oxygen.
• Familiarity with instrumentation (pressure transducers, thermocouples, RTDs, strain gauges, accelerometers, flow meters, load cells, relays, solenoid valves, pneumatic valves).
• Experience with 3D modeling software (Siemens NX, Inventor, CATIA).
• Experience with coding (Python, Matlab, C, C++, Java, Visual Basic).
• Experience analyzing anomaly data and identifying root cause.
• Experience writing and maintaining test procedures and hardware work instructions.
• Ability to design from scratch with focus on low cost, reliability, efficiency, and maintainability.
• Ability to read and apply technical manuals, data reports, mechanical and electrical schematics, and design specifications.
• Strong collaborative communication; ability to work efficiently with others in high-pace operations and resource-limited situations.

Working conditions

• Physical dexterity required for flight hardware work in tight quarters.
• Sitting or standing for extended periods; lifting and carrying materials/equipment up to 25 lbs. unassisted.
• Exposure to fumes, odors, and noise.
• Occasional work in extreme outdoor environments (heat, cold, rain).
• Must be available for extended hours, weekends, and shifts as operational needs require.

ITAR requirement

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.