Quality Assurance & Test Engineer

The Quality Assurance & Test (QA&T) Engineer supports RECONCRAFT evaluating and improving existing vessel designs, leading hands-on testing, evaluation, and system-level analysis to assess and optimize the vessels’ performance, durability, and reliability against operational requirements. This role also functions in a “pit crew” capacity, performing on-the-spot maintenance and repairs on vessels during evaluations and field exercises to keep vessels mission capable and evaluation schedules on track. The QA&T Engineer translates operational requirements into vessel systems requirements, identifies and documents design and system improvement opportunities, and works closely with engineering, program, and production teams to implement and validate design changes. This role spends significant time on the water and in the field, including forward-deployed evaluation sites and exercises.
This is a temporary position with the ability to move to a permanent position.
Essential Job Functions:
Vessel Test & Evaluation (primary focus)
Develop, implement, and execute test and evaluation plans for an existing vessel design, including test procedures, data collection plans, and evaluation criteria
Conduct static and underway performance testing and trials to assess speed, handling, seakeeping, durability, maintenance, and reliability against operational requirements
Collect, analyze, and document test data; compile test reports, findings, and improvement recommendations
Translate operational requirements (mission profile, sea state, payload, endurance, crew tasks) into vessel systems and design requirements
Identify design, system, and component deficiencies; develop and document recommendations to enhance performance, durability, and reliability
Track and maintain a running log of vessel discrepancies, lessons learned, and design improvement opportunities across evaluation events
Support integration and testing of new or modified vessel systems (propulsion, hull, electrical, hydraulics, electronics, outfitting) while considering operational effectiveness and maintainability