Space Vehicle AIT Systems Engineer

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Assembly, Integration & Test (AI&T) focused Systems Engineer to define, plan, and coordinate the end-to-end integration and test strategy for our space vehicles. This is a system-level role focused on developing the AI&T plan, ensuring it aligns with requirements, and enabling production and test teams to execute efficiently and consistently.

In this role, you will translate mission and system requirements into clear integration flows, test strategies, and verification plans. You will work closely with subsystem leads, production, and test engineering to ensure the right configurations, procedures, and readiness criteria are in place, without being the day-to-day operator on the floor. You will drive readiness reviews, ensure configuration discipline, and track verification closure across the spacecraft lifecycle.

This role is ideal for a systems engineer who understands spacecraft hardware and test environments, excels at cross-functional coordination, and enjoys shaping the integration and verification approaches that ensure mission success.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop the system-level AI&T plan, integrating requirements, mission objectives, verification needs, and program constraints.

• Translate system and subsystem requirements into clear integration flows, environmental test campaigns, acceptance criteria, and verification methods.

• Define configuration states, test phases, and hardware maturity needed at each stage of integration.

• Define component- and subsystem-level qualification approaches, including qualification test matrices, required margins, environmental profiles, and success criteria.

• Track qualification progress across all components, ensuring verification evidence is collected, reviewed, and configuration-controlled.

• Work with subsystem leads and suppliers to ensure qualification testing aligns with system requirements and mission environments.

• Interface daily with subsystem owners, production, test engineering, quality, and manufacturing to ensure alignment on readiness, interfaces, and constraints.

• Provide system context to teams executing tests and builds; ensure integration decisions maintain system-level correctness and traceability.

• Support trade studies involving test architecture, build approaches, and verification methods.

Qualifications

• Experience in spacecraft integration, test engineering, or environmental testing.

• Experience developing AI&T flows, process documentation, or TRR packages.

• Demonstrated experience executing or leading system-level test campaigns.

• Strong understanding of space vehicle subsystems (power, ADCS, structures, thermal, avionics).

• Excellent documentation, communication, and cross-team coordination skills.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical/electrical engineering, physics, or related field (or equivalent experience).

Experience:

A minimum of 5 years of experience in spacecraft integration, test engineering, or environmental testing.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with new-space production environments or high-throughput satellite builds.

• Familiarity with requirements management and verification tools.

• Previous leadership experience (formal or informal).

• Knowledge of quality systems, configuration management, and nonconformance processes.

Soft Skills:

• Clear, concise communicator — able to bridge gaps between engineering, manufacturing, test operators, and program teams.

• Strong organizational discipline — keeps test matrices, procedures, and verification evidence clean and controlled.

• Calm under pressure — maintains composure during anomalies, long test campaigns, and dynamic integration schedules.

Technology Stack:

None

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in a cleanroom or high-bay environment, wearing required PPE (lab coats, gloves, safety glasses, ESD gear, etc.).

• Ability to lift and carry up to ~25–30 lbs (10–15 kg) occasionally (e.g., test equipment, fixtures, cabling).

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, and reach for extended periods during integration and test activities.

• Comfort working around powered equipment (cranes, lifts, vibe tables, thermal chambers, RF sources) with proper safety training.

• Ability to work at benches, racks, or tall equipment, including using ladders or platforms if needed.

• Fine motor skills for handling delicate flight hardware, connectors, and ESD-sensitive components.

• Ability to follow strict contamination control practices, including gowning, gloving, and handling protocols.

• Tolerance for occasional extended or shifted hours during critical test windows (TRRs, vibe, TVAC, functional testing)

This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands.

AST SpaceMobile is an Equal Opportunity, at will Employer; employment is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.