Stellar Solutions is seeking a Test Engineer to lead test activities supporting the development and rapid deployment of resilient Missile Warning capabilities for the U.S. Space Force. This role will guide a test team through developmental test and evaluation, system integration, requirements verification, and validation activities across complex space and ground systems. The Test Engineer will identify technical risks early, develop actionable mitigation strategies, and provide the evidence needed to support system certification, operational test readiness, and mission delivery.

This role provides test leadership across the system lifecycle for integrated space, ground, software, and hardware capabilities. The Test Engineer will coordinate across government, engineering, development, and test organizations to establish rigorous test strategies, execute system-of-systems evaluations, and deliver decision-quality findings and recommendations. Success requires disciplined requirements analysis, cross-segment integration expertise, and the ability to build collaborative relationships across a complex acquisition environment.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead a multidisciplinary test team in planning, coordinating, and executing developmental test and evaluation activities.
• Develop and execute Test and Evaluation Master Plans, System Test Plans, Requirement Verification Plans, and Requirement Verification Reports.
• Plan, execute, and report developmental test and evaluation activities supporting certification of readiness to proceed to operational testing in accordance with AFI 99-103 and AFMAN 63-119.
• Decompose system requirements and interface specifications, allocate requirements to testable elements, and define systems under test.
• Establish test criteria, acceptance criteria, success metrics, and verification methods for complex space and ground systems.
• Plan and conduct system-of-systems testing for space-to-ground and cross-segment integration.
• Execute tests, perform test data analysis and reduction, identify anomalies, and generate comprehensive reports with findings and recommendations.
• Plan and conduct Test Readiness Reviews to assess test objectives, configurations, resources, risks, and entry criteria.
• Organize and facilitate Integrated Test Teams, Deficiency Review Boards, Materiel Improvement Project Review Boards, and technical interchange meetings.
• Coordinate test objectives, schedules, interfaces, and technical decisions across government customers, research organizations, industry partners, and test organizations.
• Identify test, integration, and verification risks early and recommend mitigation actions that support rapid and reliable capability delivery.
• Apply established systems engineering standards and disciplined verification and validation practices throughout test planning and execution.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, or a technology field.
• 10+ years of experience in test and evaluation, verification, or system integration on Major Defense Acquisition Programs involving complex space or ground software and hardware systems.
• 5+ years of experience supporting government developmental test and evaluation programs as part of a Lead Development Test Organization.
• Experience planning, executing, and reporting developmental test and evaluation activities supporting certification of readiness to proceed to operational testing in accordance with AFI 99-103.
• Experience developing test procedures and artifacts in accordance with AFMAN 63-119.
• Experience executing tests, performing data analysis and reduction, and producing comprehensive test reports with findings and recommendations.
• Experience developing and executing Test and Evaluation Master Plans, System Test Plans, Requirement Verification Plans, and Requirement Verification Reports.
• Experience conducting system-of-systems testing for space-to-ground or cross-segment integration.
• Experience organizing and facilitating Integrated Test Teams, Deficiency Review Boards, Materiel Improvement Project Review Boards, and technical interchange meetings.
• Ability to decompose system requirements and interface specifications, allocate requirements to testable elements, define systems under test, develop test criteria, establish acceptance criteria and success metrics, and conduct Test Readiness Reviews.
• Ability to establish collaborative relationships with government customers, federally funded research and development centers, industry partners, and test organizations.
• Knowledge of systems engineering standards, including IEEE 15288.1 and IEEE 15288.2.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience serving in Lead Development Test Organization leadership roles, including coordinating with operational test agencies and supporting weapon system certification activities.
• Experience organizing Joint Reliability and Maintainability Evaluation Team meetings and generating Deficiency Reports in accordance with AFI 99-103.
• Experience decomposing and allocating system-level requirements into segment- or subsystem-level test objectives.
• Experience developing test scenarios that exercise interface control documents and validate interface requirements.
• Experience applying statistical analysis, anomaly identification, and performance assessment techniques to test data.
• Experience performing systems engineering, integration, and testing for Overhead Persistent Infrared, Missile Warning, or space-based remote sensing systems.
• Experience supporting next-generation or legacy space-based infrared sensing programs, including Next Generation OPIR, FORGE, Resilient Ground Segment, SBIRS, or related capabilities.
• Experience supporting interoperability test and evaluation programs, including development of interoperability certification evaluation plans and reports.
• Experience planning and coordinating integrated and combined test activities for major capability deliveries.
• Experience supporting portfolio or program verification, validation, certification, and operational acceptance.
• Experience using Model-Based Systems Engineering tools, including DOORS or MagicDraw, to manage system definitions, technical baselines, and requirements verification on government classified networks.
• Experience using Digital Engineering models to trace requirements to verification activities.
• Experience conducting third-party Independent Verification and Validation of software and database releases.
• Knowledge of DoD 5000-series guidance, including DoD 5000.01, DoD 5000.02, DoD 5000.89, DoD 5000.98, or DoD 5000.100.
• Knowledge of MIL-STD-3022 and the Department of Defense Architecture Framework.
• Master’s degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• Certified Test and Evaluation Professional certification or INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional certification, including ASEP, CSEP, or ESEP.

Clearance & Additional Requirements

• Secret clearance required.

Location

El Segundo, CA

Compensation:

The typical annual salary range for this position is approximately, USD $126,000 - $162,000. Individual pay is determined by many factors including work location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. In addition to salary, this position is also eligible for a discretionary annual performance bonus, profit sharing / retirement plan and other benefits (all in addition to annual base salary).

Deliverables could be in the format of a report, software file, briefing, spreadsheet, or other document as directed by the Government, using government approved and/or mandated systems/software and processes governed by guidance/instructions/policy or direction. The nature of this work will, at times, require quick responses to stringent deadlines and always in a high quality, professional manner.