Senior Test Engineer

Radiant

$100K — $130K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of professional engineering experience in design, analysis, or testing.
  • Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or related engineering discipline.
  • Ability to apply first principles thinking in ambiguous situations.
  • Experience in highly regulated industries like nuclear or aerospace.
  • Proven leadership skills and ability to work independently.
  • Strong foundation in fluids and thermodynamics.
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

  • Perform testing as a Test Conductor/Test Director for firsthand insights into procedures.
  • Collaborate with design engineers to create innovative testing methods.
  • Support test campaigns for fluid, electrical, and structural hardware of the Kaleidos reactor.
  • Source and collaborate with component suppliers for fabrication.
  • Initiate continuous improvements in testing processes and data quality.
  • Drive hardware risk reduction through expedient test campaigns.
  • Ensure strict compliance with DOE and NRC standards in documentation.

Benefits

  • Substantial incentive stock plan for full-time employees.
  • 100% coverage for employee medical up to silver level, 50% for dependents.
  • Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and dependents.
  • Top tier vision and dental plan coverage at no cost for employees, 50% for dependents.
  • Paid parental leave of 8 weeks for all parents; additional pregnancy leave for CA employees.
  • Daily catered lunch, snacks, and drinks provided.
  • Flexible PTO policy with remote workday options.
  • Company events promote team bonding and camaraderie.
  • Modern office location in El Segundo near the Pacific Ocean.
Full Job Description

We are seeking a SeniorTest Engineer to drive mission-critical test operations for the development, qualification, and acceptance our groundbreaking nuclear microreactor technology. This role offers a rare opportunity to bridge engineering, operations, and human factors in a highly technical and fast-paced environment. You will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to translate complex hardware and software designs into clear, executable test operations, with encompassing test procedures that will efficiently and safely execute test, commissioning, and operational activities.

As part of a small, passionate, and accomplished team of test engineers, you will help drive test operations to meet Radiant's requirements in a fast-paced production environment. You will directly contribute to test operations by assisting with test planning and execution, risk identification and mitigation, hardware integration for test campaigns, post-test inspections, data review, and hardware performance analysis.

This position goes beyond traditional systems engineering - you will also gain hands-on experience as a test conductor and test director, directly influencing the development of operational software, procedures, and test ground support equipment.

Responsibilities & Duties:
  • Perform testing as a Test Conductor/Test Director to gain firsthand experience, ensuring procedures align with real-world execution.
  • Partner with design engineers to develop innovative test methods for complex mechanisms and structures.
  • Support testing and iterative improvements of fluid, electrical, and structural hardware of the Kaleidos reactor through development, qualification, and acceptance testing.
  • Identify and develop appropriate suppliers for component sourcing and fabrication.
  • Drive initiatives for continuous improvement in test processes and data delivery quality.
  • Support one-off test campaigns in a fast paced, minimum-requirements environment to drive hardware risk reduction.
  • Ensure compliance with DOE and NRC standards, maintaining strict formatting, clarity, and usability in procedural documentation.


Required Qualifications & Skills:
  • 5+ years of full-time professional experience in engineering problem-solving, including system design, analysis, or testing.
  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in mechanical, manufacturing, or other related engineering discipline.
  • Ability to apply first principles thinking to solve problems and make decisions in uncertain or ambiguous situations.
  • Background in highly regulated industries (e.g., nuclear, aerospace, aviation, maritime).
  • Demonstrated ability to lead projects and work independently.
  • Strong technical fundamentals in fluids and thermodynamics.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Flexible and adaptable mindset - self-driven with the ability to seek out requirements with minimal direction.


Desired Qualifications & Skills:
  • Prior experience working as an operator in fast-paced test environments (e.g., rocket engine testing, turbopump testing, component level testing), with familiarity in safety protocols, and high-reliability operations, high pressure gases, safety engineering (FMECAs, Keep-out Zone).
  • Experience designing, fabricating, or operating fluid systems.
  • Knowledge of instrumentation including pressure transducers, thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors, and accelerometers.
  • Ability to read and interpret engineering standards, technical requirements, and engineering drawings (ASME 31.3, 31.1, and ASME Boiler Code Section III/VIII).
  • Hands-on experience in developing technical procedures.
  • Experience reviewing test data and hardware performance analysis.
  • Prior operations experience with hands-on work designing and commissioning test ground support equipment (test fixtures, fluid systems, electrical systems).
  • Proficiency with Ion, Epsilon3, NX CAD, Teamcenter.
  • Experience with Beckhoff PLC Controllers.


Additional Requirements:
  • Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to accomplish our mission.
  • Must work 100% onsite at El Segundo HQ.
Benefits and Perks
  • Stock: Substantial incentive stock plan for all full-time employees.
  • Medical: 100% up to base silver level plan for employee + 50% dependents, offers up to Platinum plans.
  • One Medical: Sponsored memberships for employees and their dependents.
  • Vision: 100% top tier plan coverage + 50% for dependents.
  • Dental: 100% top tier plan coverage, orthodontia extra, 50% for dependents.
  • Voluntary life, accident, hospital, critical illness, commuter and FSA/HSA are offered as employee contributed benefits.
  • 8-weeks of paid parental leave for all parents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees.
  • Daily catered lunch. Free snacks and drinks.
  • Flexible PTO policy. Remote workday allocation.
  • Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and in-person camaraderie.
  • Beautiful El Segundo headquarters close to the Pacific Ocean.


Total Compensation and Benefits
Radiant compensates people for impact and invests in those who continue to raise the bar. Radiant's new hire compensation package includes base salary, substantial equity grants, and comprehensive health benefits. Total compensation and level are determined through a rigorous evaluation of interview performance, experience, education, and qualifications, and are designed to support continued growth as scope, responsibility, and impact expand at Radiant.

The best of today's advanced reactor builders don't wait for job postings. They join the winning team. If that's you, contact us directly for immediate opportunities: [email protected].

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