{"schemaVersion":"jobsearcher.job.v1","id":"5d2af447087e8d6be5d9ea2e","url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/5d2af447087e8d6be5d9ea2e","canonicalUrl":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/5d2af447087e8d6be5d9ea2e","title":"Sr. Reliability Test Engineer","description":"Aerospace is at a turning point — costs are rising, supply chains are strained, and old ways of building can’t keep up. At NeonAero, 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. Our team leverages automation, AI‑driven tools, and a fully connected digital backbone to accelerate innovation and reduce barriers to production.\n\nHere—you won’t just take a job — you’ll help reinvent how the world flies. If you’re ready to solve complex problems, push technology further, and work alongside some of the brightest minds in aerospace, this is your chance to make a real impact.\n\nWe are seeking a Senior Reliability Test Engineer to define, build, and execute reliability and validation testing across complex electromechanical systems.\n\nThis role sits within the systems development team and is responsible for ensuring that our products meet fundamental performance, durability, and operational requirements through rigorous engineering validation and characterization. You will own reliability test strategy, lab infrastructure, and execution for systems including electromechanical actuators, thermal management systems, and hybrid power platforms.\n\nYour work will expose failure modes early, quantify design risk, and generate the data required to drive confident engineering decisions. While you will not own design directly, your test strategy, observations, and insights will materially influence engineering tradeoffs and system direction.\n\nThis is not a certification role. It is engineering‑driven validation focused on breaking systems, understanding real‑world behavior, and ensuring designs are ready before formal qualification (e.g., DO‑160 and related standards). The role operates upstream of certification, but also plays a critical part during certification by providing high‑confidence data, validating assumptions, and helping streamline products through the qualification process in close partnership with systems and certification teams.\n\nWe are intentionally breaking from traditional aerospace development models. Rather than relying on extended analysis followed by a single certification‑bound prototype, we build and test multiple prototypes early to uncover issues quickly and iterate based on real data. This role is central to that approach.\n\nThis is the first senior hire in reliability and validation. You will define how this function operates… from test philosophy and infrastructure to execution and scaling, establishing the foundation for how the company validates hardware as it grows.\n\nKey Responsibilities\n\nDefine reliability and validation test strategies for complex electromechanical systems based on system requirements and expected use conditions\n\nTranslate engineering requirements into structured, executable test plans and success criteria\n\nDevelop test methodologies to characterize performance, durability, and environmental robustness\n\nDesign tests to uncover edge cases, failure modes, and system limitations early in development\n\nBuild and scale internal reliability lab capabilities, including test stands, fixtures, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems\n\nDefine lab workflows, safety practices, and repeatable test processes\n\nSelect, procure, and integrate test equipment required for mechanical, electrical, and environmental testing\n\nEstablish calibration, data integrity, and test traceability practices\n\nHands‑On Test Execution\n\nLead execution of reliability and characterization testing on prototype hardware\n\nInstrument systems and test setups to capture meaningful, high‑quality data\n\nRun mechanical, thermal, electrical, and combined stress tests across relevant operating conditions\n\nAdapt test approaches dynamically based on observed behavior and emerging risks\n\nExternal Test Management\n\nManage external test vendors (e.g., environmental and specialized test labs)\n\nDefine test scopes, review setups, and ensure alignment with internal objectives\n\nEvaluate test quality, data validity, and adherence to intended conditions\n\nIntegrate external results into overall validation strategy\n\nAnalyze test data to quantify performance margins, degradation trends, and reliability risks\n\nApply statistical methods where appropriate to understand variability and confidence levels\n\nCommunicate clear, actionable insights to engineering teams and leadership\n\nProvide structured assessments of design readiness and residual risk\n\nCross‑Functional Collaboration\n\nPartner closely with Systems, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering teams\n\nSupport failure investigations by providing high‑quality test data and observations\n\nContribute to pre‑certification readiness by validating designs against expected environmental and operational conditions\n\nEnsure alignment between test strategy and system‑level requirements\n\nRequired Qualifications\n\nMinimum of 8 years of experience in reliability engineering, validation testing, or system‑level hardware testing\n\nExperience developing and executing test strategies for complex electromechanical systems\n\nHands‑on experience building and operating test setups, fixtures, and instrumentation\n\nStrong understanding of mechanical, electrical, and environmental stress testing methods\n\nExperience working with external test labs and managing outsourced test campaigns\n\nAbility to translate requirements into structured test plans and measurable outcomes\n\nStrong data analysis and problem‑solving skills with the ability to interpret complex test results\n\nComfortable working hands‑on in lab environments with prototype hardware\n\nStrong communication skills with the ability to convey technical findings clearly\n\nPreferred Experience\n\nExperience with aerospace, automotive, robotics, or consumer hardware systems\n\nFamiliarity with environmental and reliability standards such as DO‑160 or similar frameworks\n\nExperience with accelerated life testing, fatigue testing, and environmental stress testing\n\nBackground in statistical analysis methods (Weibull analysis, DOE, JMP, Python, MATLAB)\n\nExperience testing actuator systems, motor‑driven systems, or power electronics\n\nExperience building new lab capabilities or scaling test infrastructure from early‑stage environments\n\nWhat We Value\n\nEngineers who use testing to uncover truth… not to confirm assumptions\n\nDeep belief that models are useful, but reality is decisive\n\nBias toward action… build the test, run it, learn, iterate\n\nComfort breaking hardware to understand it\n\nStrong systems intuition… understanding how complex systems behave outside ideal conditions\n\nAbility to operate in ambiguity and create structure where none exists\n\nPractical, hands‑on mindset… capable of building rigs, not just writing plans\n\nLow ego, high ownership… driven by outcomes, not role boundaries\n\nWhy This Role Matters\nThis role defines how we validate our products before they reach certification and production.\n\nYour work will determine whether systems behave as expected under real‑world conditions, uncover failure modes early, and provide the data needed to make critical engineering decisions with confidence.\n\nYou will help build the reliability function from the ground up and establish the foundation for how we test, learn, and improve across all product lines.\n\nLocation and Pay\nLocation‑Specific Pay Range: $150,000 - $175,000 USD\n\nEqual Opportunity Statement\nNeonAero, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.\n\nAll final candidates must successfully complete a background check and drug screening as a condition of employment.\n\n#J-18808-Ljbffr","company":"Neon Aerospace","rawCompany":"neon aerospace","city":"Orange","state":"CA","isRemote":false,"isActive":false,"createdAt":"2026-07-16T03:53:32.119Z","occupations":[{"code":"17-2112.02","title":"Validation Engineers","slug":"validation-engineers"},{"code":"15-1253.00","title":"Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers","slug":"software-quality-assurance-analysts-and-testers"},{"code":"17-2011.00","title":"Aerospace Engineers","slug":"aerospace-engineers"}],"industries":[{"code":"336411","title":"Aircraft Manufacturing","slug":"aircraft-manufacturing"},{"code":"334511","title":"Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing","slug":"search-detection-navigation-guidance-aeronautical-and-nautical-system-and-instrument-manufacturing"},{"code":"336412","title":"Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing","slug":"aircraft-engine-and-engine-parts-manufacturing"}],"jobPosting":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Sr. Reliability Test Engineer","description":"Aerospace is at a turning point — costs are rising, supply chains are strained, and old ways of building can’t keep up. At NeonAero, 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. Our team leverages automation, AI‑driven tools, and a fully connected digital backbone to accelerate innovation and reduce barriers to production.\n\nHere—you won’t just take a job — you’ll help reinvent how the world flies. If you’re ready to solve complex problems, push technology further, and work alongside some of the brightest minds in aerospace, this is your chance to make a real impact.\n\nWe are seeking a Senior Reliability Test Engineer to define, build, and execute reliability and validation testing across complex electromechanical systems.\n\nThis role sits within the systems development team and is responsible for ensuring that our products meet fundamental performance, durability, and operational requirements through rigorous engineering validation and characterization. You will own reliability test strategy, lab infrastructure, and execution for systems including electromechanical actuators, thermal management systems, and hybrid power platforms.\n\nYour work will expose failure modes early, quantify design risk, and generate the data required to drive confident engineering decisions. While you will not own design directly, your test strategy, observations, and insights will materially influence engineering tradeoffs and system direction.\n\nThis is not a certification role. It is engineering‑driven validation focused on breaking systems, understanding real‑world behavior, and ensuring designs are ready before formal qualification (e.g., DO‑160 and related standards). The role operates upstream of certification, but also plays a critical part during certification by providing high‑confidence data, validating assumptions, and helping streamline products through the qualification process in close partnership with systems and certification teams.\n\nWe are intentionally breaking from traditional aerospace development models. Rather than relying on extended analysis followed by a single certification‑bound prototype, we build and test multiple prototypes early to uncover issues quickly and iterate based on real data. This role is central to that approach.\n\nThis is the first senior hire in reliability and validation. You will define how this function operates… from test philosophy and infrastructure to execution and scaling, establishing the foundation for how the company validates hardware as it grows.\n\nKey Responsibilities\n\nDefine reliability and validation test strategies for complex electromechanical systems based on system requirements and expected use conditions\n\nTranslate engineering requirements into structured, executable test plans and success criteria\n\nDevelop test methodologies to characterize performance, durability, and environmental robustness\n\nDesign tests to uncover edge cases, failure modes, and system limitations early in development\n\nBuild and scale internal reliability lab capabilities, including test stands, fixtures, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems\n\nDefine lab workflows, safety practices, and repeatable test processes\n\nSelect, procure, and integrate test equipment required for mechanical, electrical, and environmental testing\n\nEstablish calibration, data integrity, and test traceability practices\n\nHands‑On Test Execution\n\nLead execution of reliability and characterization testing on prototype hardware\n\nInstrument systems and test setups to capture meaningful, high‑quality data\n\nRun mechanical, thermal, electrical, and combined stress tests across relevant operating conditions\n\nAdapt test approaches dynamically based on observed behavior and emerging risks\n\nExternal Test Management\n\nManage external test vendors (e.g., environmental and specialized test labs)\n\nDefine test scopes, review setups, and ensure alignment with internal objectives\n\nEvaluate test quality, data validity, and adherence to intended conditions\n\nIntegrate external results into overall validation strategy\n\nAnalyze test data to quantify performance margins, degradation trends, and reliability risks\n\nApply statistical methods where appropriate to understand variability and confidence levels\n\nCommunicate clear, actionable insights to engineering teams and leadership\n\nProvide structured assessments of design readiness and residual risk\n\nCross‑Functional Collaboration\n\nPartner closely with Systems, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering teams\n\nSupport failure investigations by providing high‑quality test data and observations\n\nContribute to pre‑certification readiness by validating designs against expected environmental and operational conditions\n\nEnsure alignment between test strategy and system‑level requirements\n\nRequired Qualifications\n\nMinimum of 8 years of experience in reliability engineering, validation testing, or system‑level hardware testing\n\nExperience developing and executing test strategies for complex electromechanical systems\n\nHands‑on experience building and operating test setups, fixtures, and instrumentation\n\nStrong understanding of mechanical, electrical, and environmental stress testing methods\n\nExperience working with external test labs and managing outsourced test campaigns\n\nAbility to translate requirements into structured test plans and measurable outcomes\n\nStrong data analysis and problem‑solving skills with the ability to interpret complex test results\n\nComfortable working hands‑on in lab environments with prototype hardware\n\nStrong communication skills with the ability to convey technical findings clearly\n\nPreferred Experience\n\nExperience with aerospace, automotive, robotics, or consumer hardware systems\n\nFamiliarity with environmental and reliability standards such as DO‑160 or similar frameworks\n\nExperience with accelerated life testing, fatigue testing, and environmental stress testing\n\nBackground in statistical analysis methods (Weibull analysis, DOE, JMP, Python, MATLAB)\n\nExperience testing actuator systems, motor‑driven systems, or power electronics\n\nExperience building new lab capabilities or scaling test infrastructure from early‑stage environments\n\nWhat We Value\n\nEngineers who use testing to uncover truth… not to confirm assumptions\n\nDeep belief that models are useful, but reality is decisive\n\nBias toward action… build the test, run it, learn, iterate\n\nComfort breaking hardware to understand it\n\nStrong systems intuition… understanding how complex systems behave outside ideal conditions\n\nAbility to operate in ambiguity and create structure where none exists\n\nPractical, hands‑on mindset… capable of building rigs, not just writing plans\n\nLow ego, high ownership… driven by outcomes, not role boundaries\n\nWhy This Role Matters\nThis role defines how we validate our products before they reach certification and production.\n\nYour work will determine whether systems behave as expected under real‑world conditions, uncover failure modes early, and provide the data needed to make critical engineering decisions with confidence.\n\nYou will help build the reliability function from the ground up and establish the foundation for how we test, learn, and improve across all product lines.\n\nLocation and Pay\nLocation‑Specific Pay Range: $150,000 - $175,000 USD\n\nEqual Opportunity Statement\nNeonAero, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.\n\nAll final candidates must successfully complete a background check and drug screening as a condition of employment.\n\n#J-18808-Ljbffr","datePosted":"2026-07-16T03:53:32.119Z","dateModified":"2026-07-16T03:53:32.119Z","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Neon Aerospace","sameAs":"https://jobsearcher.com"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Orange","addressRegion":"CA","addressCountry":"US"}},"identifier":{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"JobSearcher","value":"5d2af447087e8d6be5d9ea2e"},"url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/5d2af447087e8d6be5d9ea2e"}}