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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for EGSE Hardware Engineer

💰 $ - $

EngineeringSpaceHardwareTest & Verification

🎯 Role Definition

An EGSE (Electrical Ground Support Equipment) Hardware Engineer is responsible for the design, implementation, verification and sustainment of ground support equipment used to integrate, test, troubleshoot and validate spacecraft and flight hardware. This role combines electrical and electronics hardware design, firmware/FPGA knowledge, test automation, hands‑on lab assembly, and adherence to space industry standards to ensure reliable test operations from component level through system-level verification.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Electronics Technician or Test Technician with space or defense exposure
  • Junior Hardware Engineer or Electrical Design Engineer
  • Systems Integration or AIT (Assembly, Integration & Test) Technician

Advancement To:

  • Senior EGSE Hardware Engineer / Lead EGSE Engineer
  • AIT/Verification & Validation (V&V) Team Lead
  • Systems Engineer or Flight Hardware Engineer
  • Test Engineering Manager or Lab Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Instrumentation & Measurement Engineer
  • Electrical Systems Integration Engineer
  • Embedded Systems / Firmware Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Design, develop and deliver complex EGSE hardware assemblies (power supplies, switch boxes, harnesses, breakout panels, simulators) to support spacecraft integration, verification and on‑ground testing, ensuring all designs meet functional and safety requirements.
  • Create detailed electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, block diagrams and connector pinouts using ECAD tools (Altium, Cadence) and maintain versioned design files under configuration management.
  • Perform PCB design and layout for custom EGSE electronics, including component selection, fabrication package oversight, and support to vendors during board manufacture and assembly.
  • Develop and maintain FPGA logic and embedded firmware for EGSE controllers and data acquisition interfaces (VHDL/Verilog, embedded C/C++) to implement instrument control, timing, telemetry, and on‑board simulation functions.
  • Implement test automation frameworks and scripts for EGSE using LabVIEW, TestStand, Python and/or MATLAB to enable repeatable, unattended validation campaigns and regression testing.
  • Assemble, cable and wire EGSE units and harnesses to exacting standards (soldering, crimping, heat‑shrink, cable routing) and produce fully documented cable/harness drawings and bills of materials.
  • Define and execute hardware verification and validation test plans for EGSE units, including unit-level functional tests, end‑to‑end system tests, and acceptance testing in support of spacecraft AIV/ATE activities.
  • Provide hands‑on support for environmental testing (vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, thermal cycling), including design of test interfaces, monitoring instrumentation, and on‑site troubleshooting during chamber campaigns.
  • Lead EMI/EMC mitigation and troubleshooting efforts for both EGSE and DUT test setups, perform radiated/conducted emission checks, and implement shielding, filtering and grounding improvements.
  • Design and validate power distribution and power conditioning systems for test stands, including LV/HV supplies, current limiting, sequencing, transient protection and safety interlocks.
  • Integrate commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) instruments (oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, power analyzers, DAQs) into automated test systems and write drivers or wrappers as needed for instrument control.
  • Produce clear and comprehensive technical documentation: test procedures, assembly instructions, drawings, wiring lists, interface control documents (ICDs), test reports and anomaly reports in accordance with quality standards.
  • Perform fault diagnosis, root cause analysis and corrective action on failed EGSE hardware or test setups; implement robust design changes and provide retrofits and field support as required.
  • Coordinate with systems engineering, flight hardware teams, software and firmware teams to ensure EGSE interfaces (mechanical, electrical, data) meet spacecraft and test requirements and maintain traceability.
  • Establish and maintain calibration schedules and procedures for EGSE measurement equipment; perform or coordinate periodic calibration to traceable standards.
  • Manage supplier relationships for procurements of custom enclosures, PCBs, cable assemblies and test instruments; create purchase specifications, review supplier drawings and oversee acceptance testing.
  • Implement and follow configuration management practices for EGSE hardware, firmware and documentation, ensuring reproducibility and traceability of test setups across campaigns.
  • Support laboratory planning and infrastructure: rack layout, harness routing, grounding schemes, ESD controls, power conditioning and safety compliance for test facilities.
  • Mentor and train junior engineers and technicians on EGSE build, test practices, safe lab operations and use of automated test systems.
  • Participate in design and technical reviews (preliminary design review PDR, critical design review CDR), provide risk assessments for EGSE designs and propose mitigations to meet schedule and quality targets.
  • Develop and execute verification matrices to demonstrate EGSE meets requirements, track pass/fail status, and drive closure of open actions until final acceptance.
  • Support launch site or on‑site test campaigns, providing travel‑ready expertise for setup, integration, troubleshooting and handover of EGSE to operations teams.
  • Ensure compliance with applicable space industry standards (ECSS, NASA, MIL‑STD where applicable), health & safety regulations, and organizational quality systems (AS9100) for EGSE hardware.

Secondary Functions

  • Produce and maintain reusable test libraries, templates and procedures that accelerate integration and reduce test variability across programs.
  • Support cross-functional change boards and engineering change processes to manage EGSE revisions and field changes with minimal operational impact.
  • Assist systems and software teams by providing hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation capabilities and real-world interfaces for firmware or flight software verification.
  • Maintain spare parts inventories and consumables for EGSE labs; forecast needs for upcoming campaigns and control obsolescence risks.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives to increase test throughput, reduce mean time to repair (MTTR) and improve lab safety and ergonomics.
  • Participate in root cause investigation of cross‑discipline anomalies and prepare technical write‑ups for lessons learned and knowledge transfer.
  • Provide estimates for labor, materials and schedule for EGSE development tasks to support project planning and proposal activities.
  • Collaborate with procurement and accounts to expedite critical items and manage supplier lead times that impact EGSE delivery schedules.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Electrical schematic capture and ECAD proficiency (Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro/OrCAD) — creation and maintenance of production‑ready schematics and symbol libraries.
  • PCB layout, fabrication and DFM/DFT practices for mixed‑signal boards used in test equipment.
  • FPGA development and verification with VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog and toolchains (Xilinx/Intel/Altera) for timing, telemetry and interface logic.
  • Embedded firmware development in C/C++ for microcontrollers and SoCs used in EGSE controllers; real‑time/RTOS experience is a plus.
  • Test automation and instrument control using LabVIEW, TestStand, Python (PyVISA), MATLAB, or equivalent scripting environments.
  • Hands‑on lab skills: soldering, crimping, cable assembly, harness fabrication, connector termination and bench integration techniques.
  • Power electronics knowledge: DC power supplies, switching regulators, current limiting, sequencing, transient suppression and protection circuits.
  • Instrumentation experience: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum/network analyzers, multimeters, DAQ systems and signal generators.
  • EMC/EMI mitigation techniques, grounding schemes and experience with radiated/conducted testing or pre‑compliance checks.
  • Thermal, vibration and vacuum test interface experience — defining harness and fixture interfaces for environmental test campaigns.
  • Configuration management and PLM tools (Git, SVN, JIRA, Windchill, DOORS, or equivalent) and disciplined documentation practices.
  • Familiarity with space industry standards and processes (ECSS, NASA handbooks, AS9100) and understanding of EEE parts and procurement constraints.
  • Test procedure and report authoring skills, ability to produce clear step‑by‑step verification plans and acceptance criteria.
  • Supplier management and procurement specification writing for custom mechanical and electrical components.
  • Basic mechanical integration skills — rack mounting, thermal conduction, mechanical fastening and alignment for test articles.

(At least 10 of the above are commonly requested in EGSE Hardware Engineer job postings.)

Soft Skills

  • Strong problem‑solving and analytical mindset with the ability to perform structured root cause analysis under schedule pressure.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills for producing clear technical documentation and interfacing with cross‑discipline teams and vendors.
  • Team player who can collaborate effectively across systems, software, test and manufacturing groups.
  • Self‑starter with strong organization, time management and the ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast‑paced AIV environment.
  • Attention to detail and commitment to quality and repeatability of test procedures and hardware builds.
  • Adaptability and resilience when supporting night/weekend environmental campaigns or last‑minute integration activities.
  • Mentorship capability to onboard and develop junior technicians and engineers.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechatronics, or closely related technical field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master of Science (MSc) in Electrical/Electronics Engineering or Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent advanced technical training and certifications.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Electrical / Electronics Engineering
  • Aerospace / Astronautical Engineering
  • Mechatronics or Embedded Systems Engineering
  • Computer Engineering or Applied Physics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3 to 8+ years of relevant experience designing, building and supporting EGSE, AIT, or electrical test equipment in the space, defense or aerospace industry.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of direct EGSE or ground support equipment experience, including environmental test support (vibration, thermal vacuum), automated test development (LabVIEW/Python), and experience with space industry standards (ECSS / NASA). Experience with PCB design, FPGA/firmware development and supplier coordination is highly desirable.
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