Automation Engineer

General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world's leading resources for high-technology systems development ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless and laser technologies.

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) designs and manufactures first-of-a-kind electromagnetic and electric power generation systems. GA-EMS' expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions support critical fleet, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and process and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.
At GA-EMS - Optical Sensor Systems, we design, build, and test advanced electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) space payload that power next-generation remote-sensing systems. You'll join a multidisciplinary team tackling technically challenging problems in a collaborative, hands-on environment. We value innovation, rigor, and accountability-offering opportunities for growth and leadership based on technical excellence.
We are seeking highly motivated engineers to join our Optical Payload Integration & Test (I&T) team. This role focuses on electrical and software-driven system integration, test automation, and verification & validation of complex EO/IR payload subsystems.
You will work closely with systems, software, and electrical engineers to plan and execute integration activities, automate test workflows, and ensure performance and reliability requirements are met. Candidates should be comfortable working in laboratory and cleanroom environments with test hardware, software interfaces, and data analysis tools. This is a full-time position located in Acton, MA.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and maintain Python-based automation test frameworks and libraries for payload and subsystem testing
• Implement instrument control interface (e.g., via Ethernet, Serial, VISA, CAN) and integrate hardware drivers into test environments
• Build data logging, configuration management, and report-generation utilities that support V&V campaigns
• Participate in the architecture and evolution of test infrastructure, ensuring scalability for future production efforts
• Establish and maintain CI/CD pipelines for automated validation, software packaging, and test execution
• Troubleshoot hardware-software interactions and support failure analysis and corrective actions
• Support documentation, version control, and traceability across test artifacts
• Collaborate with the Flight Software and Systems Engineering teams to assess, debug, and verify C-based embedded code behavior through hardware-in-the-loop testing

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelors degree in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education
• Proficiency in Python, including hardware control and data processing
• Experience integrating test equipment and hardware interfaces
• Ability to read and understand C code, particularly for diagnostics and interface verification
• Familiarity with Linux environments, command-line tools, and version control (Git)
• Strong attention to detail, documentation habits, and collaborative problem-solving mindset
• U.S. Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S Security Clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with test automation frameworks (e.g., PyVISA, PySerial, pytest)
• Experience with CI/CD tools (e.g., Bitbucket Pipeline, Jenkins, or similar)
• Familiarity with SQLite, Pandas/Pyarrow, and NumPy for data analysis and reporting
• Experience designing reusable test modules and building documentation for multi-user test environments
• Understanding of requirements verification, traceability, and test readiness process
• Background in hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing or real-time data acquisition
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, hands-on lab environment with minimal supervision
• Willingness to support off-shift or extended testing during major integration or environmental test milestones