Test Engineer, R&D

Who We Are:Aurelius Systems is a VC backed defense tech startup building autonomous, edge deployed directed energy systems for counter-UAS. We build laser weapons to shoot down drones.We're a small team of engineers, former US military operators, and subject matter experts scaling America's directed energy dominance. The first cost effective, reliable and robust laser weapon system.Our namesake isn't an accident. Marcus Aurelius wrote about doing the work in front of you, every day, without excuses. Henry Ford didn't wait for permission to reinvent manufacturing.That's how we operate — small team, unreasonable output, no hiding behind the unachievable.In addition to our San Francisco lab, we’ve opened a Detroit manufacturing hub and we field test weekly on our own 400-acre private range.The Role and Your Impact:You're a forward deployed embedded engineer who loves R&D testing.You write the firmware that exercises the system. You wire the electronics. You run the test scripts you wrote. You own the data path from scope trace to debrief slide. The thermal and ruggedization side of test will come from a different hire — your job is the full system integration testing from embedded to the electrical layer.We're transitioning from prototype to product on an electromechanical directed energy system. The test infrastructure you build now becomes the foundation for everything we ship. You're not inheriting a test bench. You're designing it. You're not running someone else's HIL setup. You're building it from scratch and making sure it actually reflects what happens downrange.You'll own verification and validation across embedded firmware, power electronics, electromechanical assemblies, and full-system integration. You're the single responsible party for ensuring all testing from top to bottom is completed and recorded as we move through the iteration process.What You'll Own:Lead field testing end-to-end: setup, operation, data collection, teardown, post-test analysis, and failure writeupsWrite firmware and embedded test code that exercises the system end-to-end (C/C++, real time)Wire test electronics, build harnesses, instrumentation setups, and test fixturesDevelop automated test procedures in PythonDebug across firmware, power rails, and electrical — root cause from first principlesWork directly with embedded, electrical, and mechanical engineers to reproduce bugs, validate fixes, and prevent regressionsDevelop test plans, acceptance criteria, and readiness gates as we move from prototype to productionPartner with the hardware team on DFM and production readinessBuild HIL and SIL test environmentsEnforce safety procedures in high-power, high-voltage testing environmentsWhat We're Looking For:3+ years embedded firmware development experience — C/C++, real-time systems, scripting test exercises directly against hardwareStrong electrical wiring and bench skills — scopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, DMMs, harness fabricationPython or scripting for test automation. You build your own tools.Strong debugging instincts across firmware, power rails, and electricalComfort with DFM concepts — you understand how production constraints shape what's testablePerformance, reliability, and safety testing as a combined skill set. You know how to stress a system, log what breaks, and define pass/fail criteria that actually matter.Clear written communication around failures and root cause. Your test reports tell a story, not just a data dump.Robotics or defense companies experience with real electromechanical products where you wrote test code and wired test setups.Not a fit if: Your test experience is purely environmental/mechanical (vibe table, thermal chamber operator). Your debugging stops at the firmware layer. You've only operated someone else's test infrastructure. You've never wired your own bench setup. Your test experience lives entirely in Jira.Nice-to-Haves:HIL or SIL test environment build experience (we'll need to build these — having done it before is a plus, but not required day one)MIL-STD, DO-178, or other safety critical testing standards exposure (even if informal)Environmental, vibration, thermal, or shock testing exposureHigh-voltage or high-power test environment experienceFamiliarity with ITAR-controlled systems or working in cleared environmentsActive security clearance or ability to obtain oneEducation:BS in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Aerospace, or equivalent. Equivalent hands-on experience also considered. What you've built matters more than where you went to school.How You Operate:Extreme bias for action. You'd rather build a prototype tomorrow than model it for a monthRigorous testing mindset. You characterize your own systems before the field doesComfortable with ambiguity and fast, constantly iterating in a startup environmentYour brain only releases dopamine when you're buildingYou debug from first principles, not Stack OverflowClear communicator across mechanical, electrical, optical, and software teamsSelf-directed. You identify what needs to happen next and do it without being toldWhy Join Aurelius Systems:Build more in 1 month than most engineers build in 1 year. We field test weekly. Your work goes downrange, not into a filing cabinet.Career velocity is real. At ~10 engineers, there are no layers between you and impact.Work on a problem that actually matters. Small cheap drones are changing warfare. Our laser systems are the asymmetric answer — infinite magazine, near zero cost per shot, scalable to every base, border, facility, and truck.Join the densest defense startup ecosystem in the country. California is where the next generation of defense companies are being built.How We Work:Core hours are Monday through Friday, 9 to 6. When we're sprinting toward a demo or field test, the team ramps up — nights, weekends, whatever it takes to ship. When the sprint lands, we ramp down. We don't manufacture intensity for show.Benefits:Competitive salary and equityUnited Health Care medical, dental, and vision coverageFlexible 18 days PTO plus 5 sick daysTravel to field test events and range daysCovered daily lunches and office snacks and drinksE-bike and scooter stipend up to $500Direct access to leadership and real ownership over your workExport Control Notice:This role requires access to export-controlled information or items that require U.S. Person status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a U.S. Person: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).