Test Engineer — R&D San Francisco · Full-time · In Office Who We Are Aurelius Systems builds laser weapons that shoot down drones. Not simulations. Not proposals. Real directed energy systems that go downrange. We're 17 engineers executing against a $151B MDA SHIELD IDIQ contract, field testing monthly on our own 400+ acre range. We shipped more hardware last quarter than most defense startups ship in a year. Most defense companies test once a quarter in a controlled lab with a 40-page test plan that took longer to write than the hardware took to build. We test weekly. On dirt. In weather. On systems that were soldered together days ago. If that sounds chaotic — it is. If that sounds fun — keep reading. The Role & Your Impact You're the person who finds out if the thing actually works. Engineers design systems. You break them, fix them, break them again, and tell everyone exactly why they failed. You're the bridge between what looks good in CAD and what survives the real world. Every field test, every deployment, every demo — you're the one making sure we show up with a system that fires, not one that crashes on setup. This role is perfect for someone earlier in their career who has been building, tinkering, and breaking things since before they had an engineering degree. We don't need 10 years of experience. We need someone whose garage looks like a lab, who can't leave a broken thing alone, and who'd rather spend a Saturday debugging a motor controller than doing literally anything else. Key Responsibilities Design, execute, and continuously improve test plans covering hardware, firmware, and software systems Perform hands-on lab testing of electromechanical assemblies, sensors, power systems, optics, and embedded controllers Lead field testing and deployments — setup, operation, data collection, teardown, and post-test analysis Build and maintain test fixtures, harnesses, and instrumentation setups Develop automated and semi-automated test procedures where appropriate Capture, analyze, and clearly communicate test results, failures, and root causes Work directly with hardware and software engineers to reproduce bugs, validate fixes, and prevent regressions Enforce safety procedures during high-power, high-voltage, and hazardous testing Help define acceptance criteria and readiness gates for prototypes and production units Qualifications BS in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Robotics, or similar) or equivalent hands-on experience You build things with your hands — not as a hobby, as a compulsion. Personal projects, competition teams, garage builds, or prior work where you physically assembled, wired, and tested hardware Comfortable working with oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, DAQs, motors, sensors, actuators, and embedded systems Experience testing systems that combine hardware and software Strong debugging instincts — you enjoy finding out why something broke more than you enjoy building it Clear written and verbal communication, especially around failures and root cause Must have either 3D modeling experience (SolidWorks, Fusion 360) or strong software automation skills (Python, scripting) Willingness to travel locally and occasionally nationally for field tests Who we're looking for: The person who built a CNC machine in their apartment. The FSAE suspension lead who also wired the data acquisition system. The intern who spent more time in the test lab than their desk. The vet who maintained complex systems in the field. You don't need years of experience — you need proof that you can't stop building and testing things. Not a fit if: You've only interacted with hardware through simulation, or your testing experience is limited to writing test cases in Jira. We need hands that have held a soldering iron and a wrench. Education BS in Engineering or equivalent experience. If you dropped out to build something and can show us what you built, we'll talk. Soft Skills Obsessive attention to detail — you notice what others miss Structured thinker who can turn "it's broken" into a clear root cause analysis Comfortable in ambiguity — you'll often be writing the test plan for a system that didn't exist last week Team player who can work across every engineering discipline without ego Nice-to-Haves Experience with robotics, autonomy, defense, aerospace, or industrial systems Python, MATLAB, or scripting for test automation Environmental, vibration, thermal, or shock testing experience Safety-critical or mission-critical system testing background Familiarity with high-power or high-voltage test environments Why Join Aurelius Systems Build more in 12 months than most engineers build in 5 years. We field test monthly. You'll learn more about how systems actually fail in your first quarter here than most test engineers learn in three years. Career velocity is real. Erick Brito went from Founding Robotics Engineer to Lead in 12 months. At 17 people, there are no layers between you and impact — or between you and your next title. For a greener engineer, this is the fastest path to senior-level systems knowledge that exists. Work on a problem that actually matters. Small, cheap drones are changing warfare. Our laser systems are the asymmetric answer — infinite magazine, cost-per-shot near zero, scalable to every base and border. Join the densest defense startup ecosystem in the country. SF is where Anduril, Shield AI, and the next generation of defense companies are being built. You'll be in the room with the people reshaping how America builds weapons. How we work: Core hours are Monday–Friday, 9 to 6. When we're sprinting toward a demo or field test, the team ramps up — nights, weekends, whatever it takes to ship. When the sprint lands, we ramp down. We don't manufacture intensity for show. We go hard when the mission demands it, and we recover when it doesn't. If you've worked at SpaceX or on a racing team, you already know the rhythm.