Sr. Test Engineer, HITL

About the role

ABOUT OBSERVABLE SPACE

At Observable Space, we're redefining how humanity observes and connects with the universe. We're a vertically integrated, high-growth, space technology company building industry-leading precision optics platforms for Earth and in space. Our systems are trusted by thousands of customers, including NASA, JPL, SpaceX, Boeing, RTX, the US Space Force and the U.S. Department of War, leading research institutions and international partners.

We combine precision opto-mechanical hardware, embedded compute, cloud orchestration, and developer-friendly APIs into world class products at scale with in-house manufacturing. From advanced ground stations, on-orbit sensor suites, free space optical lasercom, to distributed compute platforms, we deliver the foundational systems enabling continuous, real-time navigation, observation, and communication in space.

Observable Space is backed by top-tier institutional investors including Lux Capital, Upfront Ventures, RTX Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners and Embedded Ventures. To learn more, visit observable.space http://observable.space.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Senior Test Engineer, HITL, you will work across our full product line, from robotic ground-based telescope systems to future on-orbit platforms. You will design, build, and operate hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) test systems that validate the performance, reliability, and integration of our hardware and software systems.

This role is deeply hands-on: you will interface directly with real hardware, develop automated test frameworks, simulate real-world and space environments, and debug complex issues across electrical, mechanical, and software boundaries. You will report to the Systems or Embedded Engineering Lead.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

- Architect, implement, and maintain hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) test systems for validating spacecraft and telescope subsystems.

- Design test infrastructure that integrates real hardware with simulated environments (sensors, actuators, communication links, and control systems).

- Develop automated test frameworks and tooling to enable scalable, repeatable validation across the product lifecycle.

- Build and maintain simulation environments for system-level testing, including fault injection and edge case validation.

- Collaborate closely with embedded, electrical, mechanical, and software teams to ensure comprehensive system verification.

- Debug complex system-level issues across hardware and software boundaries, including real-time and edge-case failures.

- Define and execute test plans, validation procedures, and performance benchmarks for integrated systems.

- Support hardware bring-up, integration, and system-level validation activities.

- Contribute to CI/CD pipelines by integrating automated test suites and ensuring test coverage across releases.

- Participate in design reviews (PDR, CDR, etc.) to ensure testability, reliability, and system robustness.