About this opportunity
Next Matter lists this Lead Integration & Test Engineer opportunity in rio rancho, New Mexico. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
About Castelion
Castelion is bringing a new approach to defense development and production: one that focuses on short, iterative design cycles, rapid testing in development, and modern commercial manufacturing strategies for production at scale. We're designing, building, and testing next generation long range strike weapons systems to give America and its Allies a definitive edge and deter future conflicts.
Position Overview
We are seeking a Lead Integration & Test Engineer with deep expertise in the integration and verification of warhead systems into complete hypersonic missile vehicles. This role focuses on leading the safe and reliable integration of warheads (including energetics, fuzing, safe-and-arm devices, and structural interfaces) with missile airframes, radars, propulsion, avionics, and thermal protection systems. You will own end-to-end integration & test strategies from subassembly through full vehicle level, supporting ground qualification, environmental testing, and flight test campaigns for next-generation hypersonic strike weapons. You will serve as the technical authority on warhead-vehicle integration and test, collaborating closely with design, manufacturing, propulsion, radar, quality, and mission assurance teams to meet stringent DoD standards and mission requirements.
Key Outcomes for 2026
Deliver a production ready integration & test process in Rio Rancho New Mexico
Develop a plan to scale from low-rate initial production to full volume production supporting thousands of units per year
Support a rapid test flight cadence to validate vehicle capability
Develop safe integration and testing processes for the vehicle that ensure operator safety
Build a world-class integration and test engineering team that can independently support future facility development and production execution
Key Responsibilities
Lead warhead-to-vehicle integration activities including mechanical mating, electrical interface verification, fuze/S&A installation, and safe separation testing.
Develop and execute comprehensive vehicle-level Integration & Test plans covering functional checkout, ordnance arming sequences, environmental qualification, and system verification.
Design and commission integration tooling, test fixtures, and automated test equipment for warhead handling and full missile assembly.
Oversee environmental stress screening (thermal, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC) and functional performance testing of integrated warhead-vehicle systems.
Support flight test preparation, range coordination, pre-flight checkout, and post-flight data analysis and anomaly resolution.
Perform root-cause investigations and corrective actions for integration and test anomalies using FRACAS and fault tree analysis.
Ensure full compliance with explosive safety standards, DoD , MIL-STD-810, and mission assurance requirements.
Mentor integration & test engineers and lead cross-functional I&T teams during build and test campaigns.
Drive continuous improvement in integration processes, test automation, and digital thread implementation for faster iteration cycles.
Required Qualifications
Education:
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field.
Experience:
8+ years in integration and test for complex aerospace or defense systems.
4+ years specifically working with warheads, munitions, or energetic systems integration.
Demonstrated leadership of vehicle-level integration and test campaigns, preferably on missile or hypersonic programs.
Technical Skills:
Strong experience with ordnance handling, safe-and-arm devices, and energetic materials integration.
Proficiency in test automation (LabVIEW, Python, MATLAB), data acquisition systems, and telemetry.
Hands-on with environmental testing and ordnance functional verification.
Requirements management and configuration control.
Familiarity with 3D CAD for integration planning.
Preferred Experience:
Direct experience on DoD missile or hypersonic warhead programs.
Background in fast-paced development environments
Knowledge of insensitive munitions and advanced warhead designs.
Prior flight test support at ranges
Experience with classified programs and TS/SCI level work.
Soft Skills:
Proven ability to lead technical teams in high-stakes, safety-critical environments.
Excellent communication and presentation skills for executive and customer briefings.
Strong problem-solving under stringent safety and schedule constraints.
Leadership Qualities
Bias to Action and Creative Problem Solving. Desire and experience questioning assumptions in ways that lead to break through ideas that are ultimately implemented. Successfully bring in applicable processes/concepts/materials from other industries to achieve efficiency gains. Ability to personally resolve minor issues in development without requiring significant support.
High Commitment, High Initiative. A successful candidate will have a genuine passion for Castelion's mission and consistently look for ways to contribute to the company's technical goals and prevent hardware blockers. Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere. Strong sense of accountability and integrity.
Clear Communicator. Proactively communicates blockers. Trusted in previous roles to be voice of company with regulators, suppliers, gate keepers and customers. Capable of tactfully managing relationships with stakeholders to achieve company-desired outcomes without compromising relationships. Emails, IMs and verbal interactions are logical, drive clarity, and detailed enough to eliminate ambiguity.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
All employees are granted long-term stock incentives as part of their employment at Castelion. All employees receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance, and the company offers four weeks of paid time off per year.
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Worksite address
rio rancho, NM, 87144, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.