Systems Engineer, Systems Test

Hadrian is building autonomous factories to reindustrialize America. By combining AI, advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we help aerospace and defense companies build rockets, satellites, aircraft, ships, and other mission-critical systems up to 10x faster and at significantly lower cost.

Following our $1.37B Series D at a $7.87B valuation, Hadrian is rapidly expanding our manufacturing footprint, launching new capabilities across welding, casting, forging, electronics, additive manufacturing, and more, while scaling our Factory-as-a-Service platform to transform how critical products are built.

Backed by leading investors including JPMorgan Chase, Valor Equity Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, 137 Ventures, Lux Capital, T. Rowe Price, and Morgan Stanley, we’re building the future of American manufacturing—and looking for exceptional people to help make it happen.

If you’re ready to take on the most challenging and rewarding work of your career while helping create American manufacturing jobs for generations to come, you’re exactly who we’re looking for.

The Role

The Autonomous Factory Systems team builds the software that gives Hadrian's factories the ability to sense, decide, and act autonomously. This includes the core robotics stack — perception, behaviors, planning, collision avoidance, and high-level control — alongside orchestration between robots and manufacturing machines and the hardware abstraction layer that connects our software to the machines on the floor.

You will lead the Systems Test division for Autonomous Factory Systems — building the team of test and simulation test engineers, owning full test plan coverage across development and release, and directing simulation test environments driven by those test plans.

What You’ll Do

• Build and lead the Systems Test division — hire and grow a team of test engineers and simulation test engineers, establishing technical standards, tools, and processes for the group

• Drive full test plan coverage across all Autonomous Factory Systems programs, from early development through production release, ensuring systems are validated against real-world operating conditions

• Direct simulation test development — build out simulation test that model the edge cases and off-nominal conditions identified in systems test plans, translating those test plans into simulation test coverage of manufacturing cell operation

• Set technical direction across disciplines — design test approaches spanning hardware sub-components developed in-house and the integrated Autonomous Manufacturing Cells that combine machines, robotics, and orchestration software

• Stay deeply technical — focus on test architecture, simulation test methodology, and engineering standards as a hands-on technical leader; this is not a people-management position

• Partner cross-functionally with hardware, robotics, and software integration teams to embed testability and simulation test coverage into system design from the start

• Define quality gates — establish the criteria and processes that determine when a system is ready to move from development to release

What We’re Looking For

• B.S. in Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline; formal systems engineering training (e.g. INCOSE CSEP or equivalent coursework in requirements management, V&V, and systems architecture) is a plus

• 10+ years of systems engineering or test engineering experience for complex electromechanical or robotic systems, with a track record of technical leadership

• Experience building and scaling test strategies for integrated hardware and software systems

• Experience directing simulation test environments used to model system behavior, edge cases, and failure modes ahead of or alongside physical testing

• Familiarity with robotics, industrial automation, or manufacturing cell environments (machines, robotic arms, orchestration/control software)

• A track record of technical leadership — setting direction, raising the bar on engineering practices, and growing the technical capability of a team

• Comfort operating across the full stack of a program: from hardware sub-component test cases to system-level simulation test of autonomous behavior

• Excellent communication skills — translating test and simulation test findings into clear, actionable input for engineering and program leadership

What Will Set You Apart

• Experience with continuous integration/test pipelines for hardware-in-the-loop or simulation-in-the-loop systems

• Background in functional safety, reliability engineering, or systems validation in manufacturing, robotics, or automotive/aerospace domains

• Experience standing up a new team or function within an engineering organization

Compensation

For this role, the target salary range is $240,000 - $299,000 (actual range may vary based on experience).

This is the lowest to highest salary we reasonably and in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee's pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees

• 401k

• Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need.

• Flexible vacation policy

• Equity

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Hadrian uses AI-assisted tools in our recruiting and hiring processes to help our team work more efficiently. This may include tools that help organize and analyze recruiting data, as well as an AI-powered notetaker that can record and transcribe interviews and help coordinate feedback. These tools support our team and are not used to make hiring decisions. All candidate evaluations and hiring decisions are performed by humans. If an interview will be recorded, you will be notified in advance and may opt out at any time with no impact on your candidacy. Candidate data processed through these tools is subject to the same protections described in our Privacy Policy.

It is the Company’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race inclusive of traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin (including, in California, possession of a drivers license), ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, height or weight, medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, exercise of reproductive rights, any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, or any combination of the above characteristics. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.