Engineer II

Senior Optical Payload Integration & Test Engineer

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) designs and manufactures first-of-a-kind electromagnetic and electric power generation systems. GA-EMS' expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions support critical fleet, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and process and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.At GA-EMS – Optical Sensor Systems, we design, build, and test advanced electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) space payload that power next-generation remote-sensing systems. You'll join a multidisciplinary team tackling technically challenging problems in a collaborative, hands-on environment. We value innovation, rigor, and accountability—offering opportunities for growth and leadership based on technical excellence.

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Optical Payload Integration & Test (I&T) engineer to join our Optical Payload Integration & Test (I&T) team. This role focuses on electro-optical system integration, test automation, and verification & validation of complex EO/IR payload subsystems. You will work closely with systems, software, and electrical engineers to plan and execute integration activities, automate test workflows, and ensure performance and reliability requirements are met. Candidates should be comfortable working in laboratory and cleanroom environments with test hardware, software interfaces, and data analysis tools. This is a full-time position located in Acton, MA.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Define and implement test strategies for payload functional, performance, and environmental verification, ensuring full requirements coverage
• Lead cross-discipline coordination between optical, electrical, software, and systems teams during integration and test campaigns
• Develop and maintain automated test infrastructure and Python-based test frameworks supporting electrical, software, and optical subsystem verification
• Collaborate with the Flight Software and Systems Engineering teams to assess, debug, and verify C-based embedded code behavior through hardware-in-the-loop testing
• Perform electrical and software integration of payload components, including command-and-telemetry interfaces, sensors, and power systems
• Oversee operation and integration of optical test equipment
• Support verification and validation (V&V) efforts across prototype, qualification, and flight hardware
• Analyze telemetry, images, and environmental test data to evaluate system performance and stability
• Establish data management and analysis workflows for test results, ensuring reproducibility, traceability, and configuration control
• Document test procedures, configurations, and results in accordance with engineering and quality processes
• Support anomaly investigation and corrective action implementation during integration and environmental campaigns
• Serve as a technical mentor for early-career engineers and test operators, promoting disciplined processes and sound engineering judgement

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.