Sr Manager, Integrated Test Engineering

About the Team:

The Factory Test Team is responsible for all hazardous testing in our Long Beach facilities - from massive structural qualification tests to precision valve actuation and everything in between. We design, build, and operate test assets from initial concept through test execution, supporting the development and production of the Terran R launch vehicle. We bring together structures engineers, fluids engineers, data and control systems engineers, and test operators in a uniquely collaborative environment. We move fast, we build real hardware, and we solve problems that have never been solved before. If you want to lead the engineers who make the impossible testable, this is your opportunity.

About the Role:

As the Sr Manager of Integrated Test Engineering, you will lead a team of 20-25 engineers responsible for the structural, fluid system, and data/control system design of all test infrastructure in Long Beach. You will manage 2-3 engineering managers directly while also providing technical leadership and mentorship across all three disciplines. This role demands both exceptional technical breadth and the ability to foster collaboration across traditionally siloed engineering domains. Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Lead an integrated engineering team of 20-25 people across structures, fluids, and data/control systems, including 2-3 direct-report managers and individual contributors across all three disciplines • Allocate resources, review technical work, and resolve trade studies across multiple concurrent projects - you'll be balancing structural analysis reviews, fluid system design reviews, and control architecture decisions on the same day
• Break down silos and drive cross-functional collaboration - your team will design test stands where the structure, fluids, and controls are tightly integrated and must work together seamlessly
• Execute on the engineering roadmap established with the Director and Vehicle Design team, translating strategy into delivered hardware on schedule and on budget
• Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain top-tier engineering talent across multiple technical disciplines - you'll be hiring structures engineers, fluids engineers, and DACS engineers, and you need to evaluate excellence in all three domains
• Provide technical review and leadership on complex, multi-disciplinary problems where structures, fluids, and controls intersect - your technical breadth will be your superpower
• Implement and uphold design standards, safety protocols, and quality processes across all three engineering disciplines
• Drive project execution - track schedules, manage budgets (multi-million dollar projects), coordinate with procurement, and remove roadblocks for your team
• Spend ~40-50% of your time in an operational/hands-on environment - on the test floor, reviewing hardware, troubleshooting installations, supporting commissioning activities, and making real-time technical decisions
• Partner closely with Test Operations, Vehicle Design, Manufacturing, Infrastructure, and Ground Software teams to deliver integrated test solutions

About You:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, or related engineering field (or equivalent demonstrated experience)
• 8+ years of relevant engineering experience with significant direct, hands-on contributions to test infrastructure, vehicle development, or similarly complex hardware systems
• Deep technical experience in at least 2 of the following 3 disciplines: o Structures: Mechanical design and structural analysis of highly loaded components, FEA (NASTRAN/ANSYS), GD&T, weld design, fabrication drawings o Fluids: Hydraulic/pneumatic/cryogenic systems, process piping, pressure systems, flow analysis, ASME B31.3 or similar codes o Data & Control Systems: Instrumentation, data acquisition, PLCs, control architectures, sensor selection, real-time controls
• 3+ years of engineering management experience, including hiring, performance management, mentorship, and developing engineers at multiple levels
• Demonstrated success delivering complex, multi-disciplinary projects on-time and on-budget in fast-paced environments
• Strong technical fundamentals and problem-solving ability - you should be able to jump into a structural loading problem, a pressure drop calculation, or a control system architecture discussion with credibility • Experience with the full design cycle from requirements generation to commissioning and operation of functional hardware
• Ability to identify and mitigate hazards in test systems (structural failure modes, overpressure scenarios, electrical hazards, etc.)
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills - you'll be coordinating across teams, presenting to leadership, and translating between engineering disciplines

Nice to haves but not required:

• Technical competency across all three disciplines (structures AND fluids AND DACS) - if you can credibly review work in all three areas, you're our unicorn
• Experience managing managers or leading organizations of 15+ people
• Hands-on operational experience - test operations, launch operations, manufacturing turnaround, or other real-time problem-solving environments
• Previous experience with: o Static and dynamic structural test stand design o High-performance hydraulic systems or cryogenic fluid systems o Motion control systems (hydraulic or electric) o Industrial networking, software deployment, or embedded systems o Process piping codes (ASME B31.3, ASME BPVC) o Advanced FEA for nonlinear analysis or dynamic loading
• Experience scaling a team or navigating development-to-production transitions
• Comfort working at heights, in confined spaces, and in dirty industrial environments • Ability to automate workflows (Python, VBA, MATLAB, etc.)
• Willing to support occasional off-hours test operations