Test Engineer - Space Solar Position DetailsLocation: Los Angeles (Hawthorne), CA
Employment Type: Full-time
Department: Starlight Solar
Travel: Occasional
The RoleThe Starlight team is focused on dramatically improving space solar power to support Starpath's core mission and the greater space economy. Starlight manufactures the lowest cost and highest performance space solar ever, which will power the majority of new satellites built on Earth and all of Starpath's equipment on the Moon and Mars.
As a Test Engineer on the Starlight team, you will plan, build, and execute the tests that prove our solar hardware is ready for flight. From electrical characterization of individual cells through panel-level environmental testing, you'll stand up the test stands, write the procedures, run the campaigns, and analyze the data that drives our hardware decisions.
Responsibilities- Execute test programs for space solar hardware - from cell-level electrical characterization through panel and array environmental testing
- Build and operate test stands, fixtures, and data acquisition systems for electrical, thermal, mechanical, and environmental testing
- Run environmental tests - thermal vacuum (TVAC), thermal cycling, vibration, shock, and humidity - including test setup, execution, and post-test data review
- Perform electrical characterization of solar hardware - LIV/flash testing, electroluminescence imaging, dark IV, and degradation analysis
- Investigate test failures and anomalies; partner with design and manufacturing engineering to close issues
- Write and execute test procedures and contribute to qualification reports
- Influence hardware design from a testability perspective - flag instrumentation access, alignment features, and design choices that make hardware easier to qualify
- Push back on unnecessary complexity - simplify test setups, eliminate redundant verification, and cut overhead wherever it doesn't add value
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's or advanced degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, materials, physics, or a related engineering or science discipline
- 1+ years of hardware test engineering experience (internship and academic research applicable)
- Hands-on experience with test instrumentation and data acquisition
Preferred Qualifications- Master's degree in an engineering or science discipline
- Direct experience testing photovoltaic hardware - solar cells, strings, panels, or arrays - ideally multi-junction (III-V) or perovskite cells for space or other high-reliability applications
- Hands-on experience operating solar simulators (e.g., Spectrolab, AAA-class) and interpreting LIV/flash test data
- Familiarity with electroluminescence imaging, dark IV analysis, and other diagnostic techniques for solar hardware
- Experience supporting environmental test campaigns - TVAC, thermal cycling, vibration, shock
- Familiarity with aerospace test standards (e.g., GEVS, MIL-STD-1540, AIAA S-111/S-112 for solar cells)
- Proficiency with LabVIEW, Python, MATLAB, or equivalent for data acquisition and analysis
- Experience with test fixture and stand design, including thermal and electrical interfaces to hardware under test
- Exposure to aerospace, space, or other high-reliability hardware environments
Compensation & Benefits- Location: Los Angeles (Hawthorne), CA
- Competitive salary plus equity package; compensation scales with candidate experience
- PTO & health/dental/vision coverage included
EAR REQUIREMENTS:- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. a7 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. a7 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
