Director of Test Engineering
Aircapture · Berkeley, CA
- On site
- Full-time
- $205,000 / year
- Berkeley, CA
Job highlights
- Lead test and validation for climate technology.
- Build world-class quality and reliability.
- Own system-level performance testing.
- Develop and lead a high-performing team.
- Drive innovation from R&D to commercial.
About the role
Director of Test Engineering
At Aircapture, we are building technology to address the climate crisis by capturing CO₂ from the atmosphere. We provide clean CO₂ to commercial and industrial customers, aiming to improve the environment, economy, and lives. We value a diverse team with varied backgrounds to achieve our goals.
Role Overview
The Director of Test Engineering will lead the test and validation function, crucial for transitioning Aircapture's technology from R&D to commercial deployment. This role involves owning system-level performance testing, defining measurement standards for our Direct Air Capture (DAC) systems, and building a world-class quality and reliability capability. Performance understanding, repeatability, and reliability are core to our learning, improvement, and scaling processes. We seek a hands-on technical leader passionate about building a lasting impact at a pioneering climate technology company.
This is an onsite position at our development and production facility in Berkeley, California.
Responsibilities
- Own and operate test labs, establishing data and reporting standards across platforms.
- Lead and develop a high-performing test and reliability team, setting priorities, driving execution, and implementing best practices.
- Drive system-level testing of First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) DAC prototypes, including design envelope and full performance characterization.
- Define and own system performance metrics, collaborating cross-functionally as the expert on system performance and data interpretation.
- Manage the data pipeline for test and operational data, from instrumentation to historian and analysis.
- Design and implement Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) and Accelerated Life Testing (ALT) for components and sub-systems.
- Build Aircapture’s quality foundation, including repeatability, Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) requirements, and scaling towards manufacturing.
- Develop data-driven reliability models, encompassing degradation, design-life validation, and predictive maintenance inputs.
- Translate test results into actionable feedback for design and operations teams.
Skills and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related field; Master’s preferred.
- 8+ years in test engineering, systems testing, or experimental R&D with end-to-end ownership of hardware test programs.
- Experience managing and developing engineering teams, including hiring, mentoring, and driving performance in fast-paced, technical environments.
- Strong physics-based understanding of thermofluid and electro-mechanical systems.
- Proven ability to define meaningful performance metrics and build systems to measure them.
- Strong instrumentation and Data Acquisition (DAQ) expertise, coupled with advanced analytical skills and ability to work closely with data engineering.
- Background in quality/reliability systems (e.g., FAT, reliability testing, failure analysis, early-stage Quality Management System Standards (QMSS)).
- Self-directed and decisive in ambiguous environments; takes full ownership from scoping through delivery.
- Excellent cross-functional communicator; translates data into insight and advocates effectively.
- Bonus: Industrial or energy hardware experience, scaling test/quality functions, reliability engineering, or predictive maintenance.
Aircapture is committed to creating a safe, inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplace where every teammate's unique contributions strengthen our collective capabilities.
Key skills/competency
- Test Engineering
- Systems Testing
- Reliability Engineering
- Data Acquisition
- Performance Metrics
- Team Leadership
- Quality Systems
- Direct Air Capture
- Climate Technology
- Hardware Testing
Skills & topics
- Director of Test Engineering
- Test Engineering
- Systems Testing
- Reliability Engineering
- Quality Assurance
- Hardware Testing
- Data Acquisition
- Climate Tech
- Mechanical Engineering
- Berkeley Jobs
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your experience in systems testing, team leadership, and reliability engineering, using keywords from the Director of Test Engineering job description.
- Showcase your impact: Quantify your achievements in previous roles, especially in hardware test programs and scaling quality functions at Aircapture.
- Demonstrate technical depth: Emphasize your physics-based understanding, instrumentation, and DAQ expertise, and your ability to define and measure performance metrics.
- Prepare for interviews: Be ready to discuss your experience managing engineering teams, your approach to ambiguous environments, and your communication skills in translating complex data into actionable insights for Aircapture.
- Express passion for the mission: Clearly articulate your enthusiasm for Aircapture's climate technology goals and how your leadership can contribute to their success.
Technical preparation
Master thermofluid and electro-mechanical systems physics.,Gain expertise in instrumentation and DAQ systems.,Practice defining and measuring key performance metrics.,Study quality/reliability systems and failure analysis.
Behavioral questions
Describe leading and developing engineering teams.,How do you handle ambiguity and drive ownership?,Explain a time you translated data into insight.,How would you build a quality foundation from scratch?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the primary focus of the Director of Test Engineering role at Aircapture?
- The primary focus is to lead and build Aircapture's test and validation function, ensuring system-level performance, quality, and reliability as the company scales its Direct Air Capture technology from R&D to commercialization.
- What specific technical skills are most critical for the Director of Test Engineering at Aircapture?
- Critical technical skills include a strong physics-based understanding of thermofluid and electro-mechanical systems, expertise in instrumentation and Data Acquisition (DAQ), defining performance metrics, and experience with quality/reliability systems like FAT and HALT/ALT.
- Does Aircapture require a Master's degree for the Director of Test Engineering position?
- While a Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering or science field is required, a Master's degree is preferred for the Director of Test Engineering role.
- What kind of team will the Director of Test Engineering manage at Aircapture?
- You will lead and develop a high-performing test and reliability engineering team. This includes hiring, mentoring, setting priorities, driving execution, and establishing best practices as the team and company scale.
- How does Aircapture support diversity and inclusion in its hiring process for the Director of Test Engineering role?
- Aircapture is committed to creating a safe, inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplace. They believe that a team with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints strengthens the company and its ability to achieve its goals.
- What is the expected career growth for a Director of Test Engineering at Aircapture?
- As a Director of Test Engineering at Aircapture, you will have the opportunity to build a foundational capability within a groundbreaking climate technology company. Growth will involve scaling the test and quality functions, contributing to significant technological advancements, and shaping the company's product development lifecycle.
- What does 'FOAK DAC prototypes' mean in the context of the Director of Test Engineering job description?
- 'FOAK' stands for First-of-a-Kind. In this context, it refers to the initial, novel prototypes of the Direct Air Capture (DAC) systems that Aircapture is developing. System-level testing of these prototypes is a key responsibility.
- How important is cross-functional communication for the Director of Test Engineering at Aircapture?
- Cross-functional communication is essential. The Director of Test Engineering must be an excellent communicator, capable of translating complex data into clear insights for design, operations, and other stakeholders, and pushing back when necessary based on data.
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