> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/2518759-hardware-test-engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/2518759-hardware-test-engineer). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Hardware Test Engineer - **Company:** Specter Incorporated - **Location:** San Francisco, CA, United States - **Experience:** Experienced - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Backup Devices, Software Debugging, Linux, Firmware, Python (Programming Language), Test Data, Hardware Testing - **Published:** August 4, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.dice.com/job-detail/26677895-a268-4bbd-9331-9e09481a0b1f ## About the Role 2+ years of hardware validation or test - Reliability, qualification, or systems test for embedded hardware products. - Bench skills - Fluent with oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, and power analyzers for bring-up and debug; thermal chambers and shakers are familiar territory too. - Fixture hands - You've built or modified test fixtures and harnesses to get a unit connected, stressed, and measured. - Reliability and stress testing - You've run mechanical, thermal, environmental, and abuse tests and can interpret what the results mean for the design. - Structured root cause - You debug methodically across hardware, firmware, and system boundaries-teardowns included-and you don't declare victory on a hunch. - Python and Linux - You drive instruments, sequence test runs, and make campaigns reproducible end to end-from a shell. Our products and rigs all run Linux; SSH and logs are home turf. - Data rigor - You treat test data statistically: distributions, margins, trends across campaigns. - Cross-functional by default - You work daily with EE, firmware, mechanical, and manufacturing without needing a process to make it happen. Bonus Skills - Production test systems - End-of-line stations, pogo-pin fixtures, or test that runs at production rate. - EMC exposure - Pre-compliance testing or supporting formal certification. - Manufacturing test - Production-line test experience or the validation-to-manufacturing handoff. ## Description Given a product and its requirements, you build the test plan, build the fixture, run the campaign, and script it so the next run is faster. When a unit fails-on the bench, in a chamber, or in the field-you own it across mechanical, electrical, and firmware boundaries until it's understood and fixed. Concretely, here are some of the things you'll work on in the first few months: - Plan and run campaigns - Turn product requirements into concrete test plans, then execute: set up fixtures, run chambers, stress hardware to its limits, collect the data, write the report. - Automate - Script thermal, shock, and vibration campaigns in Python against instruments and fixtures so every run is reproducible. - Root cause analysis - Chase failures to ground: tear down failed units, isolate the cause across hardware, firmware, and mechanical, and verify the fix. What you find inside reshapes the tests. - Accelerated life testing - Run ALT and HALT to compress years of field wear into weeks, find the design margins, and feed end-of-life data back to the design team. - Support EVT / DVT / PVT builds - Validation bring-up during NPI, plus reliability and abuse testing-thermal cycling, vibration, ingress, drops and mishandling, long-duration burn-in. This is an early-stage team-your fingerprints will be on every fixture, script, and test report we have. ## Related Videos - [More efficient software for more efficient microchips](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1164-more-efficient-software-for-more-efficient-microchips) - [Dirty Tests And How To Clean Them](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/515-dirty-tests-and-how-to-clean-them) - [Playing Pong on a shoulder press machine](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100140-playing-pong-on-a-shoulder-press-machine) - [Docker network without Docker](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1418-docker-network-without-docker) - [Stop Guessing, Start Measuring: Evaluating RAG Systems with Synthetic Test Data](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1982-stop-guessing-start-measuring-evaluating-rag-systems-with-synthetic-test-data) - [Agent Smith Gets Hardware: Autonomous IoT Hacking From Debug Port to Cloud API](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100258-agent-smith-gets-hardware-autonomous-iot-hacking-from-debug-port-to-cloud-api) ## Related Articles - [The 8 Best Code Testing Tools](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/402-the-8-best-code-testing-tools) - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [What is a Test Plan: Guide to Test Planning](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/191-what-is-a-test-plan-guide-to-test-planning) - [How to create a test plan for software testing](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/56-how-to-create-a-test-plan-for-software-testing) - [Should senior developers refuse interview coding challenges?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/29-should-senior-developers-refuse-interview-coding-challenges) - [Top Characteristics of a Software Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/166-top-characteristics-of-a-software-engineer)