Director of Test

Director of Test

We are looking for a Director of Test to lead all development, flight, production, and energetics testing at Castelion. In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring we have the technical and organization capabilities to test and qualify our missiles. You will drive technical direction while building the team to execute our testing goals safely and quickly.

Responsibilities

• Own Castelion’s overall test strategy and operating model across development, qualification, flight, and production testing, including mechanisms, structural, environmental, and energetics testing.
• Establish common test standards, readiness criteria, risk-management practices, and documentation, with appropriate rigor for development, qualification, flight, and production testing.
• Maintain a clear distinction between development and production testing: enable fast, pragmatic, and risk-informed development testing while establishing the rigor, repeatability, and traceability required for qualification and production. Ensure processes are lightweight and fit for purpose.
• Partner with Programs, Design Engineering, and Manufacturing Engineering to develop test capability roadmap.
• Build the test organization’s capabilities through recruiting, team development, facilities, equipment, software, and automation.
• Partner with Quality and EHS to ensure test plans, procedures, and operating practices appropriately address hardware reliability, personnel safety, and operational risk.
• Establish consistent processes for test planning, anomaly and failure review, corrective action, lessons learned, and risk acceptance.
• Collaborate with national test ranges on test planning, range safety, and test execution

Basic Qualifications

• B.S./M.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Aerospace, or related field with 5+ years of experience
• Experience leading large teams in a fast-paced environment
• Proven track record of developing and managing large-scale structural test stands
• Deep knowledge of industry standards for test instrumentation, data acquisition systems, actuators, and test automation
• Experience with hazardous test and field operations
• Strong mechanical design fundamentals as well as knowledge of best practices for ground systems design

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience with energetics handling and testing, including solid rocket motors and warheads
• Experience with production testing for medium to high-rate lines
• Knowledge of mechanisms testing and associated failure modes
• Experience with PLCs and industrial automation
• Background supporting flight test or launch operations
• Knowledge of flight testing of high-energy rocket systems and range safety

What We Value

• Hands-on rigor: deep understanding of systems through direct testing and failure analysis.
• Autonomy and ownership: you don't wait for direction you seek out what needs to be tested and make it happen.
• High standards for reliability, data quality, and test repeatability.
• Systems-level thinking: understanding how actuator behavior affects broader vehicle performance.