HITL Responsible Engineer

Job description

Who We Are Outlier is an innovative high-velocity aerospace company, on a mission to lead innovation in orbit through reusable satellite platforms and secure payload returns . Our vision is to enable a sustainable orbital economy where reusable technologies unlock results unattainable on Earth. We provide significant autonomy and flexibility for our team, choosing to hire world-class talent that can deliver world-leading outcomes. Our people are tenacious and specialists in their field. Most importantly, they are always looking for opportunities for improvement. At Outlier, we move fast and develop ‘savvy’ but elegant solutions. We hold ourselves to our own standards of excellence that our competition is simply unable (and unwilling) to meet. We bring our true selves to work, but what binds us are our shared principles: Own the Yellow Jersey : We don’t follow the competition; we set the standard of excellence required. With discipline and work ethic, we strive to be the best in the world at what we do. By prioritising quality and mission assurance, execution follows. Create the Future We Want to Occupy : We invent what doesn't exist yet, solve the hardest problems, and do it with moral clarity and long-term vision. We do solutions, not complaints, increasing productivity. We’re continuously looking for opportunities to be better. We Scale the Wall Together : We lean into the challenge. Every single team member takes extreme ownership and responsibility whilst fostering critical collaboration. We succeed together or fail together, through a culture of trust, transparent communication, and looking out for each other. The team’s success is your success. Savvy Outcomes, Achieved Rapidly : We apply savvy, frugal, first-principles thinking to solve problems without ever compromising on quality. We deliver 10x the impact with less resources than anyone else. We experiment to answer unknowns and de-risk the path forward early. Your Opportunity at Outlier As a HITL Responsible Engineer, you will own the design, development, operation, and continuous improvement of Outlier’s Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) platforms that enable high fidelity integrated testing of next generation reusable spacecraft. You will develop test environments that validate spacecraft functionality, performance, and mission readiness across avionics, GNC, flight software, mechanical, and ground systems. As the Responsible Engineer, you will act as the technical authority for Outlier’s HITL systems by designing architectures, implementing test infrastructure, interfacing with spacecraft subsystems, conducting verification campaigns, and supporting operational readiness reviews. Your work enables mission critical decision making and ensures Outlier’s spacecraft perform flawlessly from integrated testing through flight operations. You will support and collaborate with cross-functional teams, drive system level problem solving, and uphold Outlier’s principles by delivering elegant, high-performance HITL systems ahead of industry standards. What you'll do Own the architecture, design, build, and operation of Outlier’s hardware-in-the-loop systems enabling end-to-end spacecraft and subsystem testing. Own system-level performance, fidelity, latency, and integration budgets aligned with mission requirements. Design and document system interfaces, data models, interface control documents, schematics, test procedures, and verification frameworks. Develop scalable, high-reliability infrastructure supporting integrated testing, simulations, and mission-ready environments. Ensure platforms meet Outlier’s standards for performance, reliability, maintainability, and test coverage. Your Capabilities 4+ years engineering experience developing, testing, or integrating mission critical hardware, software, or HITL/PIL environments. Tertiary qualification in mechatronics, electronics, computer science, aerospace engineering, or related field. Strong experience designing and implementing electronics or HITL test systems. Demonstrated experience testing electronic systems, debugging hardware/software integration issues, and analysing raw test data. Proficiency with modern version control (Git) and issue tracking tools. Experience with Python or C++ for test tooling, automation, or analysis. Skilled in designing and operating high fidelity test platforms, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems. Comfortable working hands-on with flight hardware, prototypes, and integrated system test setups. Able to balance rapid execution with spacecraft grade quality and reliability requirements. Strong communication skills with the ability to produce and review technical documentation. Ideal additional capabilities Master's or PhD in a relevant engineering discipline. Prior experience with HITL/PIL test systems, avionics test environments, or spacecraft verification programs. Experience with verification & validation methodologies and test-driven development. Familiarity with RS‑485/422/232, CAN, LVDS, and other aerospace data protocols. Experience with harness design, troubleshooting, and test fixture development. Strong understanding of sensors, signal conditioning, data acquisition, and electronic systems. Networking experience (Ethernet TCP/IP, routing, switching, subnetting, managed switches). Exposure to spacecraft systems or complex autonomous systems. Experience with PLCs, relays, power systems, or RF systems. Familiarity with CAD tools for test rigs (NX, SolidWorks, VeSys, RapidHarness, etc.). Experience with Linux, CI/CD automation, containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes, VMs), and distributed test systems. Experience building HITL rigs at scale. Self-motivated with strong ownership and ability to operate under pressure. If you wake up every day wanting to out-engineer the entire industry, solve problems that matter for humanity’s future, and do it with a tight team that trusts you completely, then this is the opportunity you’ve been seeking. Kindly note: You’ll need to have the right to work in New Zealand to be considered for this role.