What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Test Engineering position at Stealth Mode?
About the Company:
We are a stealth-mode Aerospace & Defense startup headquartered in El Segundo, CA. Our founding team hails from SpaceX, Anduril, and Lockheed Martin, and we are backed by Joint Staff-level military leadership and top-tier Silicon Valley rms. We're assembling a high-agency team committed to moving fast, solving hard problems, and defending what matters most. With a world-class business development & leadership team already in place, we are well positioned to capitalize on already overwhelming demand.
Responsibilities
- Build and lead the Test Engineering team spanning hardware, software, and systems test disciplines.
- Develop and own test strategy and infrastructure: ground test facilities, flight test plans, instrumentation, telemetry, and data pipelines.
- Drive end-to-end test campaigns: from subcomponent validation through integrated system flight tests.
- Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and mechanical teams to define test requirements and accelerate development cycles.
- Establish rapid iteration and feedback loops, ensuring failures become data, and data becomes progress.
- Ensure compliance with aerospace and defense test standards while balancing the need for speed, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
- Lead mission readiness efforts for live intercept demonstrations and operational deployments.
QualificationsRequired
- 8 years of experience in aerospace, defense, or equivalent high-reliability industries.
- Deep knowledge of system-level test engineering, including flight tests, ground tests, environmental testing, and instrumentation.
- Proven track record of leading multidisciplinary teams through rapid development and execution cycles.
- Strong technical background in at least one of: propulsion testing, avionics validation, systems integration, or range operations.
- Comfort working in fast-paced, resource-constrained environments where speed and iteration matter.
- Hands-on operator mindset—able to both lead and personally troubleshoot hardware, software, and test infrastructure.
Preferred
- Experience with missile systems, interceptors, or high-performance aerospace vehicles.
- Familiarity with aerospace qualification standards (DO-160, MIL-STD, etc.) and range safety requirements.
- Strong technical background in all one of: propulsion testing, avionics validation, systems integration, or range operations.
- Ability to thrive in high-stakes test campaigns with operators and government stakeholders.