Senior Project Engineer I

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

We are seeking a highly driven Senior Project Engineer I to lead the planning and execution of test milestones for our space product portfolio. In this role, you will create and maintain integrated program timelines across multiple product lines, ensuring alignment and proactively identifying conflicts. You will oversee the management of test vendors and deliverables, including test station deployments, fixture procurement, harness fabrication, and other critical hardware. This position will also own the tracking and communication of project risks and underlying assumptions, clearly articulating their impact to stakeholders and driving informed decision-making within the team. This is a pivotal role for ensuring our test capabilities are delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest standards of performance for our space systems.

The Senior Project Engineer is accountable for driving schedule alignment, vendor deliverables, and cross-team coordination to ensure test milestones are met across all space product lines. While this role is responsible for verifying that test planning, data analysis, and problem resolution activities are completed on time and to quality standards, the technical depth and engineering authority for these activities remains with the assigned subject matter experts and test engineers. The Senior Project Engineer is empowered to challenge assumptions, escalate risks, and ensure clarity in decision-making, but does not serve as the primary technical owner for test methods, data, or design quality.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned test projects, ensuring alignment between engineering, manufacturing, quality, and test operations teams.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, resource plans, and risk assessments for test campaigns.
• Ensure engineering requirements are translated into actionable test plans, procedures, and acceptance criteria by the responsible engineering teams, tracking progress and resolving roadblocks.
• Coordinate design and fabrication of test fixtures, instrumentation, and support equipment.
• Support test execution, ensuring adherence to safety protocols, engineering specifications, and regulatory requirements.
• Review and validate that test data is analyzed and interpreted appropriately, and that technical reports and presentations are completed and communicated to stakeholders on schedule.
• Facilitate and track issue resolution efforts, ensuring root cause analyses, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives are implemented by the owning teams.
• Own budgeting, procurement, and vendor coordination for assigned programs. Manage allocated budgets, escalate potential overruns, and lead vendor relationships to ensure timely delivery of test assets.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, or a related field (Master’s degree a plus).
• 4+ years of engineering experience in an aerospace, defense, or high-technology environment, preferably in a test-focused role.
• Strong understanding of mechanical, electrical, and/or structural test methods, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems.
• Experience with project management tools and methodologies (PMP certification a plus).
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Familiarity with space industry standards, safety protocols, and regulatory requirements (e.g., NASA GEVS, SMC-S-16, MIL-STD environmental, & EMI/EMC standards).

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
• Experience with environmental test systems (thermal, vibration, shock, vacuum, etc.).
• Knowledge of CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA) for test fixture design.
• Knowledge of data analysis in software language like MATLAB, LabVIEW, Python.
• Working knowledge of PCBA and unit-level test sequence development to effectively assess schedules, challenge assumptions, and identify potential execution risks.

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.