Test Engineer in Rockford, Illinois at Kaney Aerospace LLC

The Test Engineer will support the design, development, and sustainment of manufacturing test equipment and Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) stands for safety-critical electromechanical actuators used in aerospace applications. This role combines engineering expertise in electronics, software-based test systems, and basic mechanical design. The candidate will be responsible for creating new test equipment as well as troubleshooting, upgrading, and maintaining existing systems in a regulated aerospace manufacturing environment.

Major Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and validate new manufacturing test equipment and ATP stands for electromechanical actuator products.
• Troubleshoot and optimize existing test equipment, including diagnosing issues across electronic, software, and mechanical domains.
• Develop automated test solutions using LabVIEW or similar graphical programming tools.
• Collaborate with design engineering, manufacturing, quality, and product support teams to ensure test systems meet safety, reliability, and compliance requirements.
• Support calibration, maintenance, and lifecycle management of test hardware and software.
• Document test system requirements, design specifications, procedures, and validation results in accordance with aerospace regulatory and quality standards.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on test efficiency, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Ensure all test equipment meets safety and regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to technicians and junior engineers involved in test equipment operation or build.
• Create and maintain operator documents and procedures related to test equipment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a highly regulated industry, with aerospace preferred.
• Hands-on experience designing or maintaining automated test equipment involving electronics, embedded systems, sensors, actuators, and servo control systems.
• Proficiency with LabVIEW or comparable automated test development platforms.
• Basic mechanical design skills (experience with CAD tools such as SolidWorks is a plus).
• Familiarity with aerospace quality and regulatory standards such as AS9100, DO-160, or similar.
• Strong problem-solving, root-cause analysis, and troubleshooting abilities.
• Ability to work in a collaborative, cross-functional environment and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Minimum Competencies:

• Working knowledge of blueprints and GD&T.
• Proficient in Solidworks
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Strong written and verbal communications skills, excellent phone, interpersonal skills, and the ability to interact with people at all levels are required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience applying human factors engineering principles to the design of test fixtures, operator interfaces, and workstations.
• Experience with automation frameworks, data acquisition systems, and industrial communication protocols.
• Background in servo control systems, motor testing, and electromechanical system characterization.
• Familiarity with software configuration management tools and workflows for test software.
• Understanding of lean manufacturing principles and their application to test equipment development.
• Experience supporting design for manufacturability and testability (DFM/DFT) initiatives.
• Ability to manage small engineering projects, vendors, and equipment build schedules.