Senior Field Test Engineer

Summary

Join SandboxAQ's AQNav team as a Senior Field Test Engineer to contribute to the success and quality of system deployments and field tests for cutting-edge navigation technology. You will work closely with physicists and systems engineers, performing customer-facing deployments in quantum sensing. This role demands a deep understanding of PNT theory and embedded sensor technology. As the first hire in the Field Operations team, you will build and manage a team responsible for global system deployment. You will coordinate with cross-functional teams, troubleshoot technical issues, and ensure regulatory compliance. This position requires significant travel and offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

Requirements

• Degree in engineering or applicable equivalent technical field experience
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and experience in facilitating technical projects within the navigation industry
• Ability to perform in an unstructured environment typical of a start-up
• Passion for building processes, policies, methods, and tools necessary to improve delivery to our clients, including commercial and DoD customers
• Proficient in Linux and Python
• Strong project management skills with excellent decision-making, organization, and management capabilities
• Must be self-directed and very committed to customer satisfaction
• U.S. Citizenship is required due to U.S. Government contract requirements
• Must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. Secret security clearance
• Able to lift 75lbs
• You’re willing and able to travel domestically and internationally (50-75% of the time, depending on deployment cycles) to support operational units, including military installations
• When you’re not traveling, you’re willing and able to work from our lab in Palo Alto, CA

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and collaborate with cross-functional teams and external stakeholders to conduct detailed flight planning, ensuring operational goals are aligned with safety, budget, and logistical considerations
• Serve as an internal resource on technical issues and lead product customer concerns with the ability to operate and troubleshoot the technology stack (mechanical, electrical, software, network) in the field or during other experiments
• Build, lead, mentor, and manage a team of field engineers responsible for deploying, installing, and testing aviation systems and equipment across multiple locations
• Directly interface with customers leading up to and during test campaigns and adapting to last-minute changes
• Review and assess flight readiness of the systems, ensuring that all systems are compliant with regulatory standards before each mission
• Develop and maintain operational procedures and guidelines to enhance efficiency, safety, and regulatory compliance across all flight operations
• Participate in operational readiness related to specific engagements, including risk management and issue resolution management
• Oversee in-lab hardware testing and validation, ensuring all systems meet performance and reliability standards prior to field deployments
• Collaborates with R&D to provide solutions to customers while actively establishing technical relationships with our customer’s engineers
• Troubleshoot and perform root-cause analysis, both remotely and on-site

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the management of Government Property / Material
• Familiarity with magnetometers, accelerometers, and other navigation-related sensors
• Familiarity with sensor calibration techniques
• Understanding of basic electronics, regulatory compliance, requirements, and testing
• Ability to provide subject matter expertise to support prototype projects related to. advanced technologies, collection orchestration, sensor technology, novel collection techniques, and commercial solutions
• Thorough understanding of the U.S. Government and/or DoD/Intelligence Community. contract program management techniques and methods
• Experience in flight test programs

Benefits

• This role may be eligible for annual discretionary bonuses and equity
• Competitive salaries
• Stock options depending on employment type
• Generous learning opportunities
• Medical/dental/vision
• Family planning/fertility
• PTO (summer and winter breaks)
• Financial wellness resources
• 401(k) plans