Space Dynamics Lab Jobs in Seattle, WA (NOW HIRING)

Amazon LEO is Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite broadband network. Its mission is to deliver fast, reliable internet to customers and communities around the world, and we've designed the system with the capacity, flexibility, and performance to serve a wide range of customers, from individual households to schools, hospitals, businesses, government agencies, and other organizations operating in locations without reliable connectivity.
Export Control Requirement:
Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
The Test Equipment Engineer is responsible for the day-to-day execution of all test equipment maintenance activities across various types of automated test racks in the Space Simulation Lab.
You will ensure all automated production test racks remain fully operational, properly calibrated, and ready for use by production technicians. When issues arise, you will respond quickly to escalations, providing troubleshooting support and resolving operational problems to minimize production downtime. With your expertise in RF test equipment, calibration metrology, and maintenance program execution, you will maximize equipment availability and product quality for Amazon LEO's satellite production line.
Key job responsibilities
• Plan, schedule, and coordinate preventive maintenance across all test rack populations, aligning maintenance windows with production schedules to minimize operational impact
• Maintain, troubleshoot, and improve test automation hardware supporting production testing
• Organize and track all rack calibration activities, ensuring traceability and compliance with calibration standards (ISO/IEC 17025, ANSI/NCSL Z540.3)
• Maintain accurate equipment records, configuration status, hardware documentation, and maintenance history in CMMS
• Oversee readiness of spare test racks - ensuring they are maintained, functional, and available for rapid swap-in when needed
• Troubleshoot electrical, mechanical, or software problems, working cross-functionally with manufacturing engineers, test engineers, lab technicians, and maintenance teams
• Perform root cause and corrective action (RCCA) analysis of issues in production testing and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence
• Catalog test harness requirements, monitor inventory and life-usage of harnesses, and ensure adequate spare coverage
• Track and report KPIs (on-time completion rate, overdue work orders, equipment availability) and present status to leadership
• Develop and maintain calibration procedures and SOPs for RF test equipment
• Identify process inefficiencies and implement improvements to reduce maintenance burden and increase equipment uptime
A day in the life
Your primary goal is ensuring all automated production test racks remain fully operational, properly calibrated, and ready for use. Daily responsibilities include planning and coordinating preventive maintenance with schedulers, organizing and tracking all rack calibration activities, and maintaining accurate documentation and hardware configuration data in partnership with supporting engineering teams.
You oversee the readiness of spare test racks, ensuring they are maintained and available for rapid swap-in when needed, and coordinate any required repairs to return equipment to operational status. You manage consumables and spare parts inventory - RF cables, connector savers, test harnesses, and cleaning supplies - forecasting replacement needs and managing procurement timelines.
When escalations come in from technicians, you respond quickly, providing troubleshooting support and resolving operational issues to minimize production downtime. You are willing to roll up your sleeves in a small, specialized team environment, and must be willing to work off-shifts and weekends as required.
About the team
The Environmental Test team is responsible for rigorous testing of satellite components to ensure products are ready for the harsh environment of space. The team's responsibilities include dynamics, thermal and vacuum testing using automated scripts for functional and performance testing during Acceptance Test Procedures (ATP) in environmental chambers.
The tasks and daily focus change rapidly, and you will often take on exciting new responsibilities to ensure project success. Expect to be deployed to address complex problems by identifying the scope of the issue and quickly establishing innovative and functional solutions.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent work experience
- 2+ years of experience in hardware development, test lab, space/aerospace maintenance, or hands-on engineering environment
- 2+ years of experience testing, troubleshooting, and debugging automated test systems including electrical, mechanical, electronic, and software systems
- 2+ years of production test station (automated test equipment) hardware maintenance and factory support
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Understanding of RF measurement concepts: S-parameters, insertion loss, return loss, phase stability, measurement uncertainty
- Experience with RF connector handling, cleaning, inspection, and torque procedures (e.g., SMA, N-type)
- Knowledge of RF cable and connector lifecycle management (wear indicators, replacement criteria)
- Experience coordinating with internal or external calibration labs
- Familiarity with path calibration and verification concepts for RF measurement systems
- Prior experience in satellite, aerospace, defense, or similar high-reliability production/test environments
- 2+ years of experience with environmental testing focusing on thermal and vacuum test processes (TVAC, HASS, thermal cycling)
- Understanding of ESD-sensitive equipment handling
- 2+ years of experience working with RF test systems
- Maintenance Program & Operations
- Experience managing consumables and spare parts inventory (RF cables, connector savers, test harnesses, cleaning supplies)
- Ability to forecast replacement needs and manage procurement timelines
- Familiarity with IPC/WHMA-A-620 workmanship standards for cable and harness assemblies
- Prior experience scaling a maintenance program (standing up new processes, onboarding new equipment)
- Experience building dashboards or reports for maintenance program health
- Proficiency with Excel/spreadsheets for workload modeling and resource calculations
- Experience identifying process inefficiencies and implementing improvements
- Familiarity with root cause analysis for equipment failures or maintenance escapes
- Ability to write/read/debug scripts in Python or similar language for automation of maintenance tasks
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you're applying in isn't listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, WA, Kirkland - 39.47 - 69.08 USD hourly