Valve Test Engineer

Here at The Exploration Company, we are building spacecrafts for humanity.

We want you as a highly talented Valve Test Engineer II, to help us advance our mission by leading cryogenic valve testing for our high-thrust engine. You will be the primary engineer responsible for defining, planning, executing, and closing valve development test campaigns.

Key responsibilities

In your capacity as a cryogenic Valve Test Engineer II, your role will be continuously evolving, but day to day your duties will include:

Own the valve component-level development test execution for Storm

Translate engineering questions and requirements into test plans, matrices, procedures, and success criteria

Define test sequencing, configurations, instrumentation, data needs, and readiness criteria

Coordinate hardware, test bench, facility, calibration, safety, and operational preparation

Lead safety analysis and test readiness reviews and drive campaign execution through completion

Execute and oversee functional, pressure, flow, transient, environmental, endurance, and other campaign-specific tests

Analyse test data, assess anomalies, and distinguish hardware behaviour from test-system effects

Produce clear test reports with conclusions, limitations, recommendations, and requirement traceability

Drive root-cause investigations and use test evidence to guide design iterations and follow-on testing

Act as the valve-test focal point across design, analysis, manufacturing, quality, systems, and integration teams

Qualifications

Degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, propulsion, or a closely related discipline

3-4 years of experience planning and executing hardware development or qualification tests, ideally involving valves, fluid components, propulsion hardware, or other pressure-bearing components

What we would love to see from you

Strong hands-on experience with functional, pressure, flow, transient, leak, environmental, endurance, or burst testing of cryogenic components

Practical knowledge of test planning, instrumentation, data acquisition, test execution, and engineering data analysis

Ability to turn requirements and engineering questions into measurable test objectives, procedures, and acceptance criteria

Able to work hands-on with hardware and test benches, data acquisition systems, investigate anomalies, and make evidence-based decisions

Strong technical writing, communication, safety, risk-management, and configuration-control skills

Comfortable owning a technical topic independently while coordinating effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams

Experience in space hardware, propulsion, safety-critical, or regulated environments is an advantage

Rigor and attention to detail are core values in everything we do: you take the time to understand requirements, follow procedures precisely, check your work, and maintain accurate records.

Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment, taking ownership of getting the hardware ready

Fluency in English, both written and verbal

A passion for space exploration and the motivation to see propulsion hardware move from drawings to tested engines.

Why you should join us!

What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:

We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind

We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them

We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?

We'd love to hear from you if you wish to be a part of our journey. Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly.

The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.

All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, which will be subject to the country, role, and project you applied for. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that any offer of employment may be conditional upon successful condition of this check. The Exploration Company partners with Zinc Work Limited located in the UK (Zinc), a third-party provider, to ensure this process as efficient and transparent as possible.

If applicable, you will receive an email from Zinc upon acceptance of your offer with a link to a secure portal where you can provide the required information to Zinc.