Lead, Test Engineering

About the Role

Radiant is seeking a Lead, Test Engineering to own the strategy, execution, and team leadership for testing Kaleidos hardware and systems. This is a hands-on technical leadership role: you will directly manage a team of test engineers and serve as the technical owner for multi-discipline testing across the program. This is not limited to thermal, materials, structural, mechanical, and special-process testing.

You will lead test development across our product and build our test site from the ground up. This infrastructure will support rapid design iteration in development, evaluating thermal performance, material behavior, structural and mechanical response, leak integrity, and system reliability, and then transition into architecting acceptance testing for production units. You will work closely with design, analysis, materials, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and operations teams to ensure designs are validated, robust, and production-ready.

Responsibilities & Duties

Test Hardware & Infrastructure Development

• Lead requirements definition, design, and implementation of Radiant’s test hardware, including test rigs, fixtures, instrumentation, data acquisition, controls, and support systems for components, subsystems, and integrated systems.

• Build, commission, calibrate, and maintain test capabilities across thermal, materials, mechanical, structural, and leak/flow disciplines.

• Establish operating procedures, safety controls, and facility readiness for high-energy, high-temperature, vacuum, pressurized, and hazardous-materials environments.

• Define equipment specifications, manage vendor selection and procurement, and plan test space layout.

• Work with quality to manage calibration programs, measurement traceability, and uncertainty analysis for all test equipment.

Test Strategy, Planning & Technical Ownership

• Own and lead the test strategy across development, qualification, and production acceptance phases.

• Define test objectives, plans, success criteria, instrumentation strategies, and data requirements for hardware and systems.

• Serve as the technical authority for test methods, measurement quality, and data integrity.

• Translate analytical predictions and design requirements into targeted test campaigns that validate assumptions and retire risk.

• Balance test coverage, technical risk, schedule, and hardware availability to enable rapid iteration while maintaining safety and rigor.

Test Execution & Data Analysis

• Plan and execute development, qualification, and acceptance tests, including functional, performance, environmental, transient, off-nominal, and endurance testing.

• Operate test hardware hands-on with a strong emphasis on repeatability, data quality, and safety.

• Analyze test data to assess system performance, thermal and mechanical behavior, and reliability.

• Compare test results against analytical predictions and work with design teams to resolve discrepancies.

• Collaborate with engineers to conduct root cause investigations, identify anomalies or failures, and implement corrective actions supported by test evidence.

• Balance test coverage, technical risk, schedule, cost, and hardware availability to enable rapid iteration while maintaining safety and rigor.

Technical Leadership & Team Development

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to test engineers and technicians.

• Act as a player-coach: remain hands-on while scaling testing capability, throughput, and organizational maturity.

• Support hiring, onboarding, and technical development of test personnel.

• Develop work estimates, test schedules, and status updates for program leadership.

• Review and approve test procedures, reports, and data packages.

• Establish standards for test documentation, data management, and knowledge capture.

• Help mature Radiant’s test processes, labs, and safety culture over time including standards for test documentation, data management, configuration control, and knowledge capture.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with design and analysis engineers to ensure designs are testable and adequately validated.

• Review component and system-level design documentation with an eye toward test coverage, instrumentation, and risk.

• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, and operations teams to support prototype, first-article, and production hardware testing.

• Represent testing in design reviews, test readiness reviews, and technical leadership discussions.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent experience.

• 8+ years of experience in testing, development, or validation of complex mechanical, thermal, or electromechanical systems.

• Hands-on experience building and operating test setups for high-energy or high-temperature hardware.

• Experience designing test instrumentation and data acquisition systems, and analyzing test data.

• Experience with leak testing methods (helium leak detection, pressure decay) and flow/thermal test setups.

• Experience correlating test results with analytical predictions and design intent.

• Demonstrated technical leadership and ability to drive complex test efforts to completion.

• Strong written, verbal, and organizational skills.

Desired Qualifications & Skills

• Prior experience managing a team of test engineers or technicians.

• Experience with test facility or test stand development from the ground up, including safety reviews and hazard analysis (e.g., JHA, HAZOP, FMEA).

• Experience with hazardous-gas handling.

• Experience testing rotating turbomachinery, heat exchangers, fluid systems, mechanisms, or controls.

• Experience with structural test methods, including strain gauges, load cells, and test-to-FEA correlation.

• Experience with data acquisition and analysis tools (e.g., LabVIEW, Python, MATLAB, Beckhoff hardware, PLCs).

• Familiarity with relevant industry standards (API, ASME, ISO, ASTM) and measurement uncertainty practices (e.g., ISO 17025).

• Experience with pressure vessel and pressure system testing and safety (e.g., ASME BPVC).

• Experience in nuclear, aerospace, defense, or other regulated, high-reliability environments.

• Startup or fast-paced hardware development experience.

• Prior nuclear experience is not required.

Additional Requirements

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to accomplish our mission.

• Must work 100% onsite at El Segundo HQ.

Benefits and Perks

• Stock: Substantial incentive stock plan for all full-time employees.

• Daily catered lunch. Free snacks and drinks.

• Flexible PTO policy. Remote workday allocation.