Junior Test Engineer

Job Summary

Battelle's Mission Focused Tools Division in Columbus, Ohio is seeking a Junior Test Engineer to join our multi-disciplinary team delivering mission critical cyber capabilities.

As a Junior Test Engineer, you will support the testing and evaluation of cutting edge cyber tools and systems developed by our research teams. You will work closely with senior engineers to execute test plans, collect and analyze results, and learn best practices for validating complex systems in operationally relevant environments. This role is ideal for early career engineers looking to build a strong foundation in cyber test and evaluation while being mentored by experienced technical leaders.

• Support execution of formal and informal test plans under guidance of senior test engineers
• Conduct hands on testing of cyber capabilities in lab and operationally relevant environments
• Collect, document, and help analyze test data and results
• Assist with writing test summaries, reports, and recommendations
• Work collaboratively with research and development teams to reproduce issues and validate fixes
• Help create and maintain test scripts for manual and automated testing
• Participate in designing and setting up test environments and scenarios
• Travel up to 10-20% to support field testing at customer designated facilities and observe requirements discussions

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field (or nearing completion) with 0-3 years of experience, or an equivalent combination of education and internships
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and able to obtain a Secret security clearance
• Strong interest in testing, validation, and system evaluation
• Ability to communicate clearly in written and verbal formats
• Experience with or coursework in Python or C
• Basic familiarity with embedded systems, networking concepts, or operating systems
• Willingness to learn formal testing and acceptance processes used by government customers
• Ability to work effectively in a team based, mentorship driven environment

• Exposure to automation tools (e.g., Docker, Jenkins, or similar)
• Familiarity with Linux environments
• Basic understanding of network protocols or RF concepts
• Coursework or hands on experience with debuggers, scripting, or test frameworks
• Interest in cybersecurity, exploit mitigation, or system hardening concepts
• Active Secret or higher security clearance

• How to design and execute structured test and evaluation efforts
• How cyber systems are evaluated in operationally realistic environments
• Best practices for reporting test results and technical findings
• Hands on experience with automation and test tooling
• How multidisciplinary teams deliver mission critical cyber capabilities

• Learn (tuition assistance, paid training) and teach (publish papers, present at conferences)
• Structured mentorship and a strong learning culture
• Internally funded research projects with guided autonomy
• Opportunities to grow into senior technical or leadership roles

• Balance life through a compressed work schedule
  :
  Most of our team follows a flexible, compressed work schedule that allows for every other Friday off giving you a dedicated day to accomplish things in your personal life without using vacation time.
• Enjoy enhanced work flexibility, including a hybrid arrangement: You have options for where and when you work. Our Together with Flexibility model allows you to work 60% in‑office and 40% remote, with Monday and Tuesday as common in‑office days, dependent on team and position needs.
• Take time to recharge
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  You get paid time off to support work‑life balance and keep motivated.
• Prioritize wellness
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  Stay healthy with medical, dental, and vision coverage with wellness incentives and benefits plus a variety of optional supplemental benefits.
• Better together
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  Coverage for partners, gender‑affirming care and health support, and family formation support.
• Build your financial future
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  Build financial stability with an industry‑leading 401(k) retirement savings plan. For most employees, we put in 5 percent whether you contribute or not, and…