Hardware Test Engineer

About the role

This role defines validation campaigns and verifies hardware reliability across mechanical, electrical, and environmental conditions. The Hardware Test Engineer collaborates with cross-functional partners to de-risk designs and accelerate product maturity in an in-person, fast-paced startup. You own the test strategy from objectives to execution, ensuring every prototype is validated against strict reliability and performance criteria. You translate ambiguous requirements into concrete test plans that expose weaknesses before they reach production. The position demands rigorous measurement discipline and a hands-on approach to diagnosing physical failure modes. You will partner with firmware and systems engineers to correlate electrical behavior with functional results. Your work directly determines whether hardware iterations advance to the next stage of development.

Key facts

What you'll do

Execute validation testing to confirm that hardware meets defined performance and durability targets across electrical, mechanical, and environmental conditions.

Investigate hardware failures through root cause and failure analysis that generate actionable findings to guide design changes and prevent recurrence.

Handle large datasets and implement automated data analysis and anomaly detection pipelines to transform raw measurement logs into decisions.

Define and maintain test procedures that specify instruments, steps, acceptance criteria, and safety protocols for every test campaign.

Select and integrate sensors, configure signal conditioning, and validate measurement accuracy to ensure high-fidelity data acquisition.

Design and execute tests that characterize mechanical loads, thermal performance, electrical stress, and reliability limits under realistic scenarios.

Maintain uncompromising documentation standards to produce clear, actionable test reports that tell a data-driven story for engineers and stakeholders.

Partner with firmware and systems teams to correlate environmental responses with embedded behavior and refine product robustness.

Support compliance and certification activities by verifying that hardware configurations adhere to relevant industry standards.

Own test assets, instrument libraries, and automation scripts to enable scalable and repeatable validation as the product matures.

Drive test schedule execution in an in-person, fast-paced startup environment where priorities shift quickly and adaptability is essential.

Contribute to continuous improvement by refining test methods, instrumentation accuracy, and data workflows based on retrospective insights.

Represent test expertise in cross-functional discussions, translating measurement data into design recommendations and risk assessments.

Champion a quality-first mindset by defining metrics, dashboards, and alerts that keep hardware performance within tight specifications.

Requirements

The posting states a bachelor's degree requirement.

Candidates bring hands-on test engineering experience with electromechanical products that run embedded firmware.

Professionals use Data Acquisition (DAQ) systems, including sensor selection, signal conditioning, and troubleshooting, as a core part of the work.

A record of designing and executing tests that define mechanical, electrical, and reliability performance limits is required.

Strong programming skills in Python and/or LabVIEW for instrument control, test sequencing, and data analysis are required.

Teams maintain uncompromising standards for documentation to produce clear, actionable test reports that tell a data-driven story.

Experience with power systems hardware validation in demanding environments is a stated expectation for this position.

Familiarity with environmental chambers, thermal imaging, and safety procedures for high-energy prototypes is mandatory.

Practical notes

This role operates in an in-person setting in Austin, TX, with responsibilities that may expand as business needs change in a startup context. Expect priorities to shift quickly, and note that the role is full-time.

Typical interview steps

Hiring for engineering roles usually starts with a recruiter screen, followed by one or two technical rounds. Candidates often solve a coding problem, discuss past projects, and answer system design questions. Some loops include a take-home task. Final rounds typically cover team fit and give candidates a chance to ask questions. Interviewers look for how you break down an unfamiliar problem, not just whether you reach the answer. Practicing a few problems aloud and reviewing your own past projects are the best preparation.

Good to know

Hardware test roles depend on domain knowledge in electrical and mechanical systems, measurement instrumentation, and data analysis. Test engineering for power systems often involves environmental chambers, DAQ hardware, and automated control software. Clear documentation and data storytelling help align engineering teams and stakeholders.

Questions to ask

Useful questions for the interview: what a typical week looks like, how work is assigned, what tools the team uses, and how feedback works. Asking how the role has changed recently and what the team wishes it had known when joining is also reasonable. Questions about the manager's priorities are especially valued.

Career growth

Engineering careers usually progress from individual contributor to senior, staff, and principal levels. Some engineers move into management and lead teams of five to twenty people. Others stay on the technical track. Growth follows demonstrated impact, not tenure alone. A typical engineering ladder has clear levels with defined expectations for scope, quality, and mentorship. Moving up usually requires owning outcomes end to end rather than completing assigned tickets.