Senior Reliability Test Enginner

Title: Senior Reliability Test Engineer
Location: Irvine, CA (On-site)
Company: Confidential (Aviation / Aerospace Innovation)

Aerospace is at a turning point — costs are rising, supply chains are strained, and old ways of building can’t keep up. At our company, we’re breaking that mold. We move fast, think big, and combine start-up agility with aerospace expertise to design, build, and scale aircraft in ways the industry has never seen.

We are looking for a Senior Reliability Test Engineer to define, build, and lead reliability and validation testing across complex electromechanical systems. Sitting within the systems development team, this role is central to a fast, iterative development approach that emphasizes learning through early prototype testing rather than waiting for a single certification-bound build.
As the first senior hire in reliability and validation, you will build a reliability function from the ground up and create the systems, infrastructure, and rigor needed to support rapid hardware development.

🚫 No Aerospace Experience Required

We are looking for the absolute best minds in hardware validation, regardless of your industry background. You do not need prior aerospace experience to excel in this role. If you have spent your career breaking complex systems, building test fixtures, and driving design reliability in high-stakes environments like Automotive/EVs, Robotics, Medical Devices, or Advanced Consumer Hardware, your skills will translate perfectly to our mission.

🚀 Why This Role Matters

Own the Strategy: Define reliability and validation test strategies for complex electromechanical systems (actuators, thermal management, hybrid power platforms) based on requirements and expected use conditions.
Break Systems Intelligently: Design tests that reveal failure modes, edge cases, and system limitations early in development to drive confident engineering choices.
Build the Lab: Build and scale internal lab capabilities, including fixtures, instrumentation, data acquisition (DAQ) systems, and repeatable workflows.
Execute & Analyze: Lead hands-on execution of mechanical, thermal, electrical, and combined-stress testing on prototype hardware, as well as manage external test vendors.
Cross-Functional Influence: Partner closely with systems, mechanical, and electrical engineering teams to support design readiness and pre-certification validation efforts.

🛠️ What You’ll Bring

Experience: Minimum of 8+ years of experience in reliability engineering, validation testing, or system-level hardware testing.
System Depth: Proven experience developing and executing test strategies for complex electromechanical systems.
Hands-on Lab DNA: Strong hands-on background building and operating test setups, fixtures, and instrumentation; complete comfort working directly with prototype hardware.
Requirements Translation: Ability to translate engineering requirements into structured test plans and measurable outcomes.
Execution Focus: Ability to operate effectively in ambiguity, adapt quickly, and drive work through execution and follow-through.

✨ Preferred Qualifications (A Plus, But Not Required)

Background in Automotive/EV, Robotics, Medical Device, or Aerospace hardware systems.
Experience with Accelerated Life Testing (HALT/HASS), fatigue testing, and environmental stress testing.
Background in statistical analysis methods and tools such as Weibull analysis, DOE, Python, or MATLAB.
Experience testing actuator systems, motor-driven systems, or power electronics.
Familiarity with reliability and environmental standards such as DO-160 or similar frameworks.

🎁 Why Join Us

Work alongside elite engineering talent and innovators from across aerospace and tech.
Shape solutions that are lower-cost, autonomous, and scalable — the future of aviation.
Competitive compensation, including equity participation, growth opportunities, and full health benefits (health, vision, dental, 401K).
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