The posting
About Portal
Portal Space Systems is on a mission to expand humanity’s freedom of movement in space. We’re building the spacecraft that makes that mission possible. From our Bothell, WA headquarters, we design vehicles with the maneuverability, resilience, and adaptability needed for the next era of orbital operations. Every system we build is in service of a simple idea: space should be more accessible, responsive, and capable. Joining Portal means stepping into a team that believes in bold engineering, fast iteration, and the power of small groups to change what’s possible. If you want your work to directly shape the future of in-space mobility, join us.
Position Summary
The Senior Vehicle Test Engineer owns the integrated planning and execution framework for spacecraft vehicle-level verification. The engineer engages early in the development lifecycle so that test scope, design-for-test features, facilities, ground-support equipment, procedures, staffing, and verification artifacts are ready when vehicle integration is complete. This role leads subject-matter experts in defining and executing all applicable vehicle-level tests and owns the vehicle verification matrix and Verification Control Document.
Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain the integrated vehicle verification and test strategy from early design through flight readiness.
- Own and maintain the vehicle verification matrix and Verification Control Document in coordination with Systems Engineering and requirement owners.
- Define the required verification artifact for each applicable requirement and ensure the responsible domain expert produces complete, reviewable evidence.
- Plan all applicable vehicle-level functional, environmental, interface, deployment, propulsion, mass-properties, end-to-end, and mission-readiness testing.
- Develop integrated test flows, schedules, configurations, dependencies, resource plans, and entry and exit criteria.
- Lead subject-matter experts in defining test objectives, success criteria, limits, instrumentation, data products, and procedure steps.
- Author integrated test procedures, control procedure execution, and maintain accurate as-run procedures.
- Lead Test Readiness Reviews, test-conductor activities, console organization, configuration verification, and anomaly-response coordination.
- Define facility, instrumentation, tooling, lifting, handling, data-system, and GSE requirements early enough to support vehicle test.
- Ensure the engineers responsible for GSE architecture, design, fabrication, software, checkout, and delivery meet vehicle-test needs and schedule.
- Design or contribute directly to GSE architecture when experience and program needs allow.
- Coordinate test execution across Systems Engineering, Integration and Test, avionics, flight software, GNC, power, propulsion, thermal, structures, facilities, quality, and safety.
- Establish custody, naming, configuration, storage, and traceability expectations for raw data, processed data, test logs, anomaly records, as-run procedures, reports, and verification evidence.
- Ensure test datasets and verification artifacts are generated, populated, reviewed, approved, and linked to the applicable requirements.
- Produce integrated test reports, verification-completion status, open-anomaly assessments, retest recommendations, and flight-readiness inputs.
- Capture lessons learned and improve vehicle test processes, templates, and readiness criteria.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, systems engineering, or a related technical discipline or equivalent experience.
- 5 + years of spacecraft integration, spacecraft test, aerospace systems engineering, or closely related vehicle-level test experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience leading spacecraft vehicle-level qualification or acceptance test campaigns.
- Experience with spacecraft integration, design for test, test-conductor duties, or Test Readiness Reviews.
- Experience defining, designing, or delivering electrical, mechanical, fluid, software, or data-system GSE.
- Experience planning or executing major spacecraft lifts, moves, handling operations, or other critical vehicle operations.
- Experience across several test domains, such as functional testing, vibration, acoustic, shock, EMI/EMC, TVAC, propulsion, deployment, mass properties, or end-to-end mission testing.
- Familiarity with test-data systems, instrumentation, telemetry, anomaly management, configuration management, and verification databases.
- Experience planning or executing multidisciplinary aerospace functional or environmental tests.
- Experience writing, controlling, and maintaining test procedures and as-run records.
- Experience coordinating subject-matter experts, facilities, instrumentation, data acquisition, GSE, and test schedules.
- Working knowledge of requirements verification, verification matrices, Verification Control Documents, and objective evidence.
- Ability to lead time-critical test activities, communicate clearly across disciplines, and maintain configuration and data traceability.
Work Expectations
- This role participates throughout development and becomes especially hands-on during vehicle integration and test.
- Occasional travel may be required during active test campaigns.
Pay Range $150K to $200K
Compensation and Benefits:
Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
At Portal, your base salary is just one part of your total rewards package. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company equity at an exciting time of company growth as well as potential bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k)-retirement plan, paid parental leave, you may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 12 or more paid holidays per year as well as sick time.
ITAR Statement
This position may involve access to technical data and defense-related materials controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Eligibility to access ITAR-controlled items requires that candidates be U.S. persons, which includes U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and other protected individuals as defined by U.S. law. Employment is contingent upon verification of ITAR eligibility and, where applicable, obtaining any required export authorization or license.
Equal Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
