Test Engineer II

Astra’s mission is to improve life on Earth from space by creating a healthier and more connected planet. Today, Astra offers one of the lowest cost-per-launch dedicated orbital launch services, and one of the industry’s leading flight-proven electric propulsion systems for satellites, the Astra Spacecraft Engine.

As a Test Engineer II, you'll get hands-on experience with real rocket hardware at a pace you won't find anywhere else. You'll work on active test campaigns, engine hot-fires, component qualification, integrated stage testing, alongside engineers who've built and operated these stands from scratch. This is a role for someone who is a few years in, knows enough to be dangerous, and wants to get to genuinely capable as fast as possible. If you're the kind of engineer who wants to understand why things are built the way they are, not just follow a procedure, Astra is where you'll figure that out.

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• Support engine and component-level test campaigns from hardware integration through data review, working under the guidance of senior engineers and test leads.
• Execute test procedures and control sequences, developing familiarity with the full campaign lifecycle from pre-test setup through post-test closeout.
• Operate complex data acquisition systems and learn to identify instrumentation anomalies in real time.
• Assist in building, modifying, and maintaining mechanical, electrical and fluid test systems. This includes working with high-pressure, cryogenic, and flammable fluids.
• Collaborate with technicians during fabrication, assembly, and test execution. You'll be hands on with hardware, building things from the ground up.
• Develop and refine test procedures under senior engineer review, building toward autonomous procedure authorship over time.

• 2+ years of hands-on test, lab, or development experience (internships, university clubs, and project work count)
• Exposure to pressurized systems, instrumentation, or fluid handling – you don't need to have worked with cryogens, but you need to understand why we treat them differently
• Proficiency in at least one programming language (Python, MATLAB, C++, or similar)
• Comfortable working with sensors, actuators, and data acquisition hardware at a functional level
• Familiarity with 3D CAD tools (NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or equivalent)
• B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, or related engineering field

• Prior experience on a test stand, regardless of industry: automotive, academic, defense
• Curiosity about test system design, not just operation
• A track record of figuring things out without being told exactly how