Test & Development Engineer

Karman Industries

Karman Industries is a Torrance-based thermal technology company building the backbone for giga-scale AI infrastructure. Founded by a team from SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and GE, Karman is moving beyond legacy cooling with the launch of the HPU (Heat Processing Unit) —a new category of thermal architecture designed for the 100kW+ rack era.

The HPU shrinks the exterior mechanical yard by up to 80% while reducing peak energy consumption by 10%+. Unlike traditional systems, the Karman HPU provides zero-water (WUE 0) cooling that ensures high-TDP GPUs and HBM4 memory stay at optimal thermal setpoints without throttling.

Founded in 2024, we’re a fast-growing team of passionate professionals dedicated to making a tangible impact on the future of humanity. We design, build, and test real hardware, and we lead with ownership: you’ll own your work from concept to hardware and help shape how we scale. Our values are Ownership, Performance Excellence, Radical Transparency, and Customer-Centricity.

Join us in our mission to transform the industry and contribute to a more sustainable world.

Test & Development Engineer

Karman Industries is seeking a motivated Test & Development Engineer to support the development of the next generation of electric heat pumps for industrial process heat electrification. The ideal candidate will contribute to the design, analysis, and testing of mechanical and thermal systems within the Thermal01 heat pump platform and future product lines.

This role requires technical ownership spanning structural, thermal, and turbomachinery hardware. You will drive product testing for individual components up to full industrial scale system validation. We are a team that values first-principles thinking, hands-on problem solving, and close cross-functional collaboration to deliver cohesive, high-performance systems.

Responsibilities

Design and build test fixtures, tooling, & electromechanical systems

Hands on assembly, troubleshooting and operation of first of kind thermal systems

Creation and maintenance of accurate documentation of test methods and data

Implementation of testing software for automated testing and logging of high energy systems

Understand performance requirements, expected system behaviors and assist in troubleshooting and qualification of new designs

Highly self-motivated, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities

Provide feedback to product engineering teams and participate in design reviews, process hazard analyses, and test campaign planning

Foster a strong safety culture, enforce safety standards, and generate HAZOP analyses

Required Qualifications

Minimum 3 years' experience in a product development or test role

Familiarity with mechanical & electrical control equipment

Working experience of PLC controls, open and closed loop controls, preventative/corrective maintenance tasks, & calibration of plant instrumentation

Excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment

Ability to solve problems with minimal supervision on tight schedules

Must be able to work with limited documentation

Desired Skills and Experience:

Master’s degree or higher in a related field

Experience in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools, preferably Siemens NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent.

Experience with turbomachinery, heat exchangers, pressurized hardware, or high-temperature fluid systems.

Familiarity with instrumentation, sensors, and testing of thermal or mechanical systems

Strong desire to learn, take initiative, and grow into technical ownership roles as the company scales

Able to lift to 50 lbs

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

Karman Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Karman Industries is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Direct applicants only — we are not working with outside recruiters or agencies for this role.