Test & Validation Lead (Space Systems)

Location: El Segundo, California, United States; work-from-home flexibility with on-site support as required

Salary: $129,000–$161,000 annually in El Segundo, CA

Company

hirify.global provides engineering, technology, and mission support services, including work on space defense and U.S. Space Force programs.

What you will do

• Develop and maintain the overall testing and validation strategy across multiple software teams and mission systems.
• Coordinate test planning, coverage, traceability, integration testing, and release readiness across independently contracted development organizations.
• Define and execute end-to-end mission validation scenarios covering complete operational workflows.
• Plan and manage user acceptance testing across stakeholder organizations and operational user groups.
• Personally develop, execute, document, and analyze tests while coordinating defect identification, prioritization, tracking, and resolution.
• Build dashboards and readiness metrics, support operational acceptance decisions, and identify opportunities for automated testing and continuous feedback in CI/CD pipelines.

Requirements

• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, or a related technical field.
• 7+ years of experience in software testing, quality assurance, systems validation, integration testing, or mission system verification.
• Experience developing test strategies and plans, conducting integration and end-to-end validation, and managing user acceptance testing.
• Experience coordinating testing across multiple development teams and working with Jira, Confluence, test management platforms, and collaboration tools.
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies, software development lifecycles, release management, and strong analytical, organizational, communication, and collaboration skills.

Nice to have

• Active Secret or higher clearance and a master’s degree in a related technical field.
• Experience with Space Systems Command, Space Operations Command, SATCOM, mission systems, or operational C2 environments.
• Experience with DevSecOps, CI/CD, continuous testing, automated test frameworks, API testing, microservices, or Kubernetes-based cloud-native environments.
• Familiarity with Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, Postman, Karate, Robot Framework, performance testing, resiliency testing, or operational testing.
• Experience supporting AI-enabled mission systems, shift-left testing, operational acceptance, test data management, or software delivery modernization.

Culture & Benefits

• Work-from-home flexibility with on-site support as required and minimal travel.
• Standard working hours.
• Benefits may include a 401(k) plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability coverage, flexible spending accounts, and paid time off.
• Professional training and development opportunities.
• People-first culture centered on belonging, collaboration, professional growth, and Zero Harm principles.