Test Engineer II​/Senior Test Engineer

Join to apply for the Test Engineer II / Senior Test Engineer role at Antares

$/yr - $/yr

At Antares, our long‑term mission is to make clean energy abundant from Earth to the Asteroid Belt. We’re fueled by the belief that advanced nuclear energy can strengthen our military, solve the climate crisis, elevate global living standards, and expand humanity’s presence in outer space. To achieve our mission, we’re building mass‑producible, inherently safe, deployable microreactors that can be used terrestrially, underwater, and in space.

Formed in 2023, the Antares team hails from Space

X, The White House, MIT, Rigetti Computing, The Air Force, General Atomics, Relativity Space, Ursa Major, and National Laboratories like Los Alamos, Idaho, and Oak Ridge. Antares has raised over $130M in venture capital from top‑tier investors and has over $13M in government funding.

As a Test Engineer in Antares Mission Engineering team, you will design, build, and own test infrastructure for our R1 microreactor. You will develop end‑to‑end test plans—from concept to data analysis—for components and subsystems spanning heat rejection, power distribution, thermal management, and mechanical systems. You will help develop and document our testing best practices, requirements, and workflows to enable rapid iteration and high‑quality data.

You will collaborate with cross‑functional teams to ensure that prototype, development, and qualification hardware is designed with respect to a test plan that validates critical features and performance parameters. You will design, validate, and maintain test setups to ensure the required precision and accuracy.

• Architect, build, and employ bespoke test stands and rigs for R1 components and assemblies
• Develop comprehensive test plans and protocols: instrumentation, execution steps, pass/fail criteria, and data analysis workflows
• Build test schedules and ensure alignment with development and business needs
• Lead test design and readiness reviews and communicate approach and results with stakeholders
• Validate measurement precision and accuracy; procure or design specialized fixtures and sensors as needed
• Create schematics and CAD models of test setups and facilities
• Define standard processes and workflows for prototype, qualification, and production‑grade testing
• Provide subject matter expertise on test methods, including mentoring teammates
• Participate in root cause investigations and implement corrective actions to prevent repeat failure

• Bachelor’s degree in physics or an engineering discipline
• 3+ years of hands‑on test engineering experience designing and building test rigs and executing thermal and mechanical tests
• Proven ability to architect and build test stands from scratch
• Experience designing assemblies and test fixtures using CAD
• Experience integrating and using test instrumentation (pressure transducers, thermocouples, strain gauges, relays, solenoid valves, etc.)
• Experience with LabVIEW, Simulink, or similar test software

• Master’s degree or higher in mechanical or aerospace engineering
• Experience testing thermal management or heat‑rejection systems, or vacuum‑relevant components
• Experience in mechanical, durability, or materials testing
• Leadership experience on a project or research team
• Strong project management and cross‑disciplinary communication skills
• Demonstrated track record of high‑impact technical contributions
• Experience with part inspection technologies (micrometers, CMM, white light scanning, etc.)
• Knowledge of PLM, ERP, and related manufacturing systems
• Strong Python or general programming experience

• Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones
• Ability to lift 50 lbs
• Standing, climbing, bending, grasping, pulling, pushing, and carrying may be required to perform job functions

Test Engineer II comp range - $115K - $150K

Senior Engineer comp range - $140K - $185K

Compensation Range: $112K - $185K

We are located in Torrance, CA in a 145,000 square foot, brand new facility featuring large open spaces for…