Testbed Engineer

Job description

TESTBED ENGINEER - FLIGHT HARDWARE, OPTICS, ELECTRONICS & SOFTWARE V&V ABOUT MATTER INTELLIGENCE Matter Intelligence is building the future of vision AI: pairing a world-first sensor that sees molecular chemistry, temperature, and 3D shape with a Large World Model — the most powerful intelligence engine for the physical world. Our team has delivered technologies to Mars for NASA/JPL, co-founded infrastructure for OpenAI, designed sensors for U.S. Defense, and invented core algorithms for spectral and 3D imaging. About the Role Matter Intelligence is seeking a hands-on Testbed Engineer to help build, operate, and mature Matter’s engineering testbed infrastructure across optics, electronics, software, and flight-like hardware systems. This role is for an engineer who is comfortable moving from the lab bench to the field, from cable harness checkout to software test execution, from optical payload alignment to flight operations support. You will help establish and maintain test environments used to validate Matter’s sensor platforms, avionics, compute systems, flight software, calibration pipelines, and data products. The ideal candidate brings a aerospace-style engineering mindset: disciplined test planning, clean documentation, careful hardware handling, rigorous anomaly tracking, and strong ownership from setup through execution, reporting, and closeout. You will work closely with optical engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, flight software developers, systems engineers, scientists, and operations leads to ensure Matter’s hardware and software systems are ready for lab campaigns, field deployments, airborne testing, and spaceflight or flight-like missions. This is a highly cross-functional role for someone who can build the testbed, run the test, debug the anomaly, document the result, and help drive the system toward verified performance. ⸻ Key Responsibilities Engineering Testbed Development & Operations - Support the setup, integration, operation, and maintenance of Matter’s engineering testbeds for sensor payloads, optics, electronics, embedded systems, flight software, and data systems. - Build and maintain lab test configurations, including optical benches, sensor fixtures, electronics racks, EGSE/GSE, power supplies, data acquisition systems, networked compute, and environmental monitoring equipment. - Configure and operate hardware-in-the-loop, software-in-the-loop, and system-level test environments. - Support testbed bring-up from early engineering prototypes through flight-like and field-ready configurations. - Maintain testbed configuration control, including hardware versions, software loads, cabling, ICDs, calibration states, and test readiness status. - Help define lab processes for safe and repeatable operation of sensitive optical, electrical, mechanical, and flight-like hardware. Assembly, Integration & Test - Support assembly, integration, and test of optical sensor payloads, avionics, embedded compute, power systems, cabling, and mechanical interfaces. - Perform payload checkout, functional testing, interface verification, and acceptance-style testing for lab, ground, airborne, and field systems. - Support integration of imaging payloads with UAS, ground vehicles, lab fixtures, and other test platforms. - Execute test procedures for radiometric, geometric, spectral, thermal, electrical, and system-level performance verification. - Support contamination control, ESD-safe handling, connector mating, torque procedures, harness routing, and flight-hardware handling practices. - Assist with pre-test, pre-flight, and post-test inspections, configuration reviews, and readiness reviews. Optics, Sensors & Calibration - Support calibration and characterization of Matter’s imaging systems, including spectral, radiometric, geometric, thermal, and 3D sensing performance. - Assist with optical alignment, focus checks, boresight verification, target setup, illumination control, and calibration artifact handling. - Operate calibration equipment, optical targets, integrating spheres, lamps, reference panels, environmental sensors, and supporting instrumentation. - Collect, organize, and validate calibration datasets used by engineering, science, and software teams. - Document calibration configurations, test conditions, procedures, results, and deviations in a traceable and audit-ready manner. Electrical Integration & Troubleshooting - Support electrical integration across sensors, avionics, compute elements, power systems, GPS/INS, timing systems, telemetry, and ground support equipment. - Perform cable harnessing, connector mating, pinout verification, continuity checks, signal validation, and power distribution checkout. - Read and interpret schematics, wiring diagrams, connector pinouts, interface control documents, and electrical test procedures. - Use oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, power supplies, electronic loads, and data acquisition equipment to debug system issues. - Troubleshoot electrical, firmware, software, timing, synchronization, and interface anomalies across integrated hardware systems. - Support root-cause analysis, corrective action, and retest activities. Software Test, V&V & Data Systems - Support software verification and validation for embedded software, flight software, test scripts, data acquisition systems, and processing pipelines. - Execute software and system-level test procedures, including regression testing, interface testing, fault testing, performance testing, and end-to-end data flow verification. - Help define test scope, test cases, pass/fail criteria, test matrices, and verification evidence. - Support defect tracking, anomaly reporting, log review, root-cause investigation, and verification closeout. - Work with software engineers to reproduce issues, collect logs, validate fixes, and document results. - Support test automation, scripting, data organization, and repeatable test execution where appropriate. Field, Flight & Mission Operations Support - Support flight readiness activities, including payload checkout, mission planning, pre-flight configuration, ground station setup, and post-flight data handling. - Participate in field campaigns involving ground-based platforms, airborne payloads, or remote test sites. - Support day-of-test and day-of-flight operations, including system health checks, payload monitoring, data capture, anomaly response, and post-run reporting. - Help ensure collected data is complete, properly tagged, backed up, and delivered to science, engineering, or customer teams. - Contribute to operational procedures, runbooks, checklists, lessons learned, and post-test reports. Documentation, Configuration & Review Support - Write, maintain, and execute test procedures, integration procedures, verification plans, test reports, discrepancy reports, and operations checklists. - Support design reviews, test readiness reviews, pre-ship reviews, flight readiness reviews, and anomaly review boards. - Maintain clear records of hardware configuration, software versions, calibration status, test setup, test execution, results, and open issues. - Contribute to engineering rigor consistent with NASA/JPL, DoD, aerospace, or equivalent high-reliability development environments. ⸻ Qualifications Required - B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Optical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical discipline. - 3+ years of hands-on experience with engineering testbeds, lab systems, flight-like hardware, sensor payloads, robotics, aerospace systems, UAS, satellites, or complex electromechanical systems. - Experience setting up and executing hardware tests in a lab, field, or integrated system environment. - Familiarity with optical, imaging, hyperspectral, multispectral, thermal, 3D sensing, or other advanced EO sensor systems. - Ability to read and interpret schematics, wiring diagrams, ICDs, connector pinouts, assembly drawings, and test procedures. - Experience with electrical checkout and troubleshooting using multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, logic analyzers, or similar lab equipment. - Familiarity with software test or V&V processes, including test planning, execution, defect tracking, regression testing, reporting, and verification evidence. - Comfortable working across hardware, software, firmware, mechanical, optical, and data-system interfaces. - Strong documentation habits and ability to produce clear, traceable, review-ready test records. - Ability to operate independently in a fast-moving technical environment while maintaining disciplined engineering practices. - Clear communicator who can work with engineering, operations, science, and leadership stakeholders. - Willingness to work onsite in El Segundo and support field deployments as needed. Preferred - Prior experience at NASA/JPL, DoD primes, aerospace companies, national labs, USGS, DOE, or similar mission-focused technical environments. - Experience supporting Assembly, Integration & Test for flight hardware, flight-like hardware, payloads, spacecraft, aircraft, UAS, robotics, or remote sensing systems. - Experience with optical payload integration, calibration, detector characterization, spectral imaging, lidar, thermal imaging, or precision metrology. - Experience with EGSE/GSE, hardware-in-the-loop testing, software-in-the-loop testing, avionics testbeds, or mission operations test environments. - Familiarity with NASA/JPL-style documentation, configuration management, discrepancy reporting, test readiness reviews, or verification closeout. - Working knowledge of NASA 7120, NASA 8739, flight hardware handling, ESD control, contamination control, or aerospace quality practices. - Experience with TVAC, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC, thermal cycling, environmental testing, or acceptance/qualification testing. - Experience with embedded systems, RTOS, Linux, Python, C/C++, shell scripting, serial interfaces, Ethernet, CAN, SPI, I2C, or flight software debug tools. - Experience with GPS/INS, RTK systems, timing synchronization, telemetry, mission planning tools, or UAS ground control systems. - Hands-on experience with soldering, crimping, wire routing, harness fabrication, continuity testing, and connector repair. - Experience supporting field campaigns, flight operations, airborne data collection, or customer-facing technical demonstrations. - Active or obtainable U.S. security clearance. ⸻ What Success Looks Like - You help stand up a reliable engineering testbed that the team can use for repeatable optical, electrical, software, and system-level testing. - Test setups are safe, documented, configuration-controlled, and understood by the broader engineering team. - Calibration, integration, and verification records are clean, traceable, and ready for review. - Hardware and software anomalies are captured clearly, reproduced when possible, driven toward root cause, and closed with evidence. - Within your first 60 days, you have supported an end-to-end test or field campaign from setup and checkout through execution, data delivery, and post-test reporting. - Within your first 90 days, the team trusts you to own testbed configuration, execute procedures, support V&V, and help prepare systems for lab, field, or flight-like operations. - You become a bridge between engineering design, lab execution, field operations, software validation, and mission readiness. ⸻ Location & ITAR This role is based in El Segundo, CA. Onsite work is required, with field deployments and test campaigns as needed. Due to the nature of the work, candidates must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual, or otherwise eligible for authorization under U.S. export control laws, including ITAR and EAR requirements. ⸻ Benefits - Compensation: Competitive total rewards package. - Equity: Early-stage equity participation in Matter’s growth. - Health: 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision coverage. - Growth: Broad exposure across optics, sensors, electronics, flight software, AI, science, operations, and commercial programs. - Impact: Build and test the systems that turn Matter’s sensing and intelligence platform into real-world capability.