Lead Test Engineer

Responsibilities As a Lead Test Engineer, a typical day in this player-coach role will involve a 60/40 split between hands-on engineering and functional team leadership:

• Lead and Mentor: Act as the functional supervisor for a small team of three test engineers, guiding their daily priorities, allocating resources across programs, and fostering professional growth.
• Develop and Architecture: Dedicate the majority of your time to writing code, architecting automated test systems, and implementing sub-assembly and final assembly production test systems.
• Own Software Frameworks: Take full ownership of test software layers, managing production floor applications, API services, database infrastructure, and final code release readiness.
• Optimize Data Flow: Ensure high data integrity, traceability, and audit-defensible data practices across the test ecosystem by isolating UI, API, and database layers.
• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Partner closely with Design, Quality, and Operations teams to ensure successful new product introductions, root-cause failure investigations, and continuous yield improvements.
• Drive Analytics: Define and monitor production performance metrics, leveraging data analysis platforms to track yield health and drive test optimization efforts.

5+ years of experience in software development or test-automation engineering within a production or manufacturing environment.

Expert-level software development skills specializing in C# (WinForms) for shop-floor testing apps and Python (FastAPI or similar) for backend service/API development.

Deep database expertise utilizing Microsoft SQL Server for controlled, secure, and structured data interactions.

Strong architectural understanding of decoupled system patterns (clear separation of UI, API, and database layers) alongside API-driven integrations and strict data traceability.

Demonstrated leadership aptitude with an innate ability to mentor, coach, delegate, and guide junior or peer engineering staff (prior formal management experience is not required).

Strong background in electronic instrumentation and electrical/electronic systems troubleshooting.

Educational Background: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering Technology, Software Engineering, or a strictly equivalent technical discipline. (Candidates with a pure Mechanical Engineering background will not be considered).

We offer a comprehensive, modern compensation package that includes premium medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.

A premier industrial technology manufacturer is seeking a hybrid Lead Test Engineer to guide a talented local test engineering team while remaining deeply hands-on with software and test system architecture. This player-coach position offers a unique balance of technical execution and personnel mentorship in a highly collaborative environment. The role is based full-time out of the Solon, OH facility, with the hiring manager open to offering flexibility for partial remote work.