Manager, Development Test

About Castelion Castelion is rapidly developing and delivering advanced defense systems at a time when execution and technical excellence matter more than ever. We move fast, focus hard, and build real capability—not just concepts. This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage where your work will directly shape critical systems, influence major technical decisions, and have immediate real-world impact. Role Overview The Manager, Development Test leads R&D testing in a fast-paced development environment to reduce hardware development time and increase reliability. You own the test strategy, build/operate test systems, lead a growing team, and drive clear visibility into testing progress across the company. Responsibilities Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing team of 4-7 engineers and technicians. Design, build, train and operate test systems from concept through execution (01 development). Own the R&D development test strategy across structural, dynamic, functional, and environmental domains. Maintain a daily updated companywide dashboard with visibility into testing progress and priorities to balance speed, rigor, and resources. Drive tests to failure and identify primary and secondary failure modes. Manage multiple parallel test campaigns with effective prioritization and ownership. Maintain and improve test infrastructure, lab capabilities, and external resources. Set a culture and practice of safety Basic Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, or related field. 8+ years of hands-on hardware testing, prototyping, lab-based engineering, and project management experience. Strong familiarity with instrumentation, sensors, and data acquisition systems. Demonstrated experience leading and growing engineering and technician teams and driving cross-functional execution. Experience writing technical reports, procedures, and building test result capture frameworks. Demonstrated capability to evaluate system-level risk and develop test strategies that are aligned with and approved by the customer. Preferred Skills and Experience Background in structural or reliability testing in aerospace, automotive, or related industries. Comfort in high-rate development or rapid prototyping environments. Proficiency with automation tools (Python, LabVIEW, JIRA, DEWESoft, etc.). Exposure to the physics of failure analysis and reliability engineering. Leadership Qualities Bias to Action and Creative Problem Solving . Desire and experience questioning assumptions in ways that lead to break through ideas that are ultimately implemented. Successfully bring in applicable processes/concepts/materials from other industries to achieve efficiency gains. Ability to personally resolve minor issues in development without requiring significant support. High Commitment, High Initiative . A successful candidate will have a genuine passion for Castelion's mission…