About the Role

Whisper Aero is seeking a Head of Ground Test to own the facilities, people, and processes that turn our propulsors into trusted, flight-ready products. Our customers, including NASA and Department of Defense programs, make decisions based on the data we produce. Your job is to make sure that data is right, on time, and defensible.

You will lead a multidisciplinary team of 12 test engineers and technicians, teach new engineers the instrumentation and data acquisition skills that our programs depend on, coordinate testing across every program, set the strategy for our ground test infrastructure, and personally drive key test campaigns from test plan to final report. This is a hands-on leadership role: you will be just as comfortable reviewing a strain gauge installation or an order-tracking setup as you are presenting test results to a customer or building a capital plan for a new test cell.

We are looking for a leader to take it to the next level: from a capable development lab to a recognized, reliable partner for electric propulsion qualification.

What You'll Do

Lead the Team

• Lead, hire, and develop a team of test engineers and technicians; set clear expectations, give direct feedback, and build a bench of future leaders.
• Act as the department's lead mentor on instrumentation and experimental methods; build and run a structured onboarding and training program so new engineers learn sensor selection and installation, signal conditioning, and test techniques.
• Drive team proficiency in Müller-BBM PAK, our standard dynamic data acquisition and analysis platform, and keep training, templates, and best practices current as the team grows.
• Plan and prioritize test resources (people, test cells, instrumentation, and schedule) across competing programs.
• Build a culture where safety, data quality, and documentation are non-negotiable, and where people lead where they are strong and learn where they are not.

Own Test Strategy and Execution

• Define test strategy for propulsor development and qualification, covering performance characterization, aerodynamics, acoustics and radiated sound power, structural dynamics and modal, static strain, durability and endurance, and environmental testing.
• Lead key test campaigns for NASA, DoD, and commercial customers, including on-site and remote-site testing.
• Chair test readiness reviews and post-test reviews; ensure every test has a clear objective, an approved plan, defined success criteria, and a hazard analysis.
• Partner with program managers to build and maintain the integrated ground test schedule, allocate facility resources, and own program management for ground test scope: cost, schedule, and deliverables.
• Work with design, analysis, electrical, controls, and manufacturing teams to make sure test results close the loop on design decisions and model validation.

Build and Scale Test Infrastructure

• Own the roadmap and capital plan for ground test facilities, including dynamometer and propulsor test stands, durability chambers, acoustic chambers, high-power electrical infrastructure, and integration with the low-speed wind tunnel.
• Standardize dynamic data acquisition hardware, software, and data management around Müller-BBM PAK, integrating other systems (e.g., HBK, Dewesoft, Mecalc, LabVIEW) where needed, so data is consistent, traceable, and easy to use across programs.
• Build best practices for test reporting, anomaly and failure resolution, and facility and equipment maintenance so results are repeatable and high quality.
• Create instrumentation calibration, configuration control, and test procedure practices with a path toward ISO/IEC 17025-aligned and customer-auditable processes.
• Drive test automation and data pipelines (Python, MATLAB) that reduce turnaround from test to insight.

Safety and Quality

• Own test safety for high-energy rotating machinery, high-voltage and high-power electrical systems, and pressurized or acoustic environments.
• Maintain test procedures, hazard analyses, lockout/tagout, and operator training and certification in line with applicable federal and industry standards (e.g., OSHA, NFPA 70E electrical safety) and customer requirements.
• Ensure test articles, instrumentation, and data meet the configuration and quality expectations of government and commercial customers.

Communicate the Results

• Distill complex test results into clear conclusions for engineering leadership, customers, and investors.
• Serve as the technical face of ground test with customers, test sites, and key vendors.
• Manage the ground test department budget, including capital equipment purchases, vendor relationships, and outsourced test work.

Basic Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field with 12+ years of relevant test experience; or MS with 10+ years; or PhD with 8+ years.
• 5+ years leading test engineers and technicians, including hiring, performance management, and team growth.
• Deep hands-on experience with ground test of rotating machinery, propulsion, or electromechanical systems.
• Hands-on experience with dynamic data acquisition systems; Müller-BBM PAK experience strongly preferred.
• Expertise in instrumentation: strain gauges, load cells, accelerometers, microphones, pressure transducers, amplifiers, and signal conditioners.
• Strong command of signal analysis (FFT, order tracking, digital filtering, modal analysis) and data reduction using Python or MATLAB.
• Working knowledge of high-power electrical systems, electric machine characterization, and the safety practices that go with them.
• Track record of building or substantially upgrading test facilities, including scoping, budgeting, vendor selection, and commissioning.
• Proven track record of managing budgets, schedules, and cross-functional relationships across multiple programs.
• Experience training and mentoring engineers in instrumentation and test methods.
• Experience writing and reviewing test plans, procedures, hazard analyses, and test reports for external customers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including presenting results to senior leadership and customers.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States. Visa Sponsorship is not provided. 

Bonus Qualifications

• Expert-level PAK user, including test setup, automation, and analysis.
• Experience in acoustics, aeroacoustics, NVH, or noise and vibration engineering.
• Experience with low-speed wind tunnel testing and advanced instrumentation (beamforming arrays, pressure scanners, balance calibration).
• Experience supporting NASA, DoD, or FAA test programs, including government test ranges.
• Experience with qualification or certification testing (e.g., DO-160, MIL-STD-810, or similar).
• Experience establishing ISO/IEC 17025 calibration or lab quality systems.
• Background in startup or fast-growth environments where you built processes from scratch.
• Experience with data management systems for large test datasets.
• Passion for aviation and innovation.