Hardware Test Engineer

The Hardware Test Engineer II supports the development, validation, and continuous improvement of advanced instrumentation, photonics, electro-optical, and embedded hardware systems. This role is critical in ensuring that products meet performance, reliability, quality, and manufacturability requirements before release. The engineer combines strong theoretical foundations with hands-on laboratory experience, test automation expertise, and a passion for solving complex technical problems through rigorous testing and data analysis. Working closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, this position designs test strategies, builds automated test solutions, characterizes product performance, investigates failures, and delivers objective engineering data that informs product decisions throughout the development lifecycle. Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive test plans, test procedures, and validation protocols based on product requirements and engineering specifications.
• Define acceptance criteria and verification methodologies for electrical, optical, mechanical, environmental, and system-level testing.
• Support Design Verification Testing (DVT), Engineering Verification Testing (EVT), Product Validation Testing (PVT), and product qualification activities.
• Perform verification, validation, reliability, and performance testing on complex hardware systems and subsystems.
• Conduct environmental, stress, lifecycle, transportation, and durability testing to evaluate product robustness and long-term performance.
• Characterize system performance and identify potential design limitations, risks, and failure modes.
• Design and build laboratory test fixtures, test stations, and automated test equipment (ATE) to support product development and validation.
• Develop automated test solutions, data acquisition systems, and reporting tools using Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, C++, and similar engineering software tools.
• Improve testing efficiency, repeatability, traceability, and measurement consistency through effective test automation and process optimization.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret test data using statistical methods and engineering best practices.
• Generate actionable recommendations that support product development, design improvements, and risk mitigation.
• Develop clear reports, dashboards, and technical summaries that communicate product performance and quality metrics to engineering and leadership teams.
• Identify design weaknesses, product failures, and performance deficiencies through structured testing and analysis.
• Lead or support root cause investigations and corrective action efforts to resolve product and test-related issues.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to validate solutions and implement measures that prevent recurrence of issues.
• Collaborate closely with electrical, optical, mechanical, software, firmware, systems, and manufacturing engineers throughout the product lifecycle.
• Participate in requirements reviews, design reviews, and manufacturing readiness reviews, providing test and reliability input.
• Provide recommendations to improve product reliability, manufacturability, and testability.
• Support product qualification, regulatory testing, and quality initiatives to ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and industry standards.
• Contribute to reliability testing strategies and long-term product performance plans.
• Drive continuous improvement in test methodologies, laboratory processes, automation tools, and reporting systems.
• Evaluate and implement new test technologies, measurement techniques, and instrumentation to enhance test capability.
• Support engineering best practices and continuous process improvements across the organization.
• Assist in developing manufacturing test solutions and supporting production transfer activities for new products.

Orlando, FL, *On-Site

MATLAB Optics Lasers Physics LabVIEW Firmware Dashboard Visionary Photonics Leadership Automation Innovation Reliability Test Design Traceability Fiber Optics Spectroscopy Data Analysis Investigation Test Planning Test Equipment Electro-Optics Test Automation Problem Solving Reporting Tools Instrumentation ISO 9000 Series Data Acquisition Embedded Systems Test Engineering Electromechanics Design Validation Laboratory Testing Industry Standards Validation Testing Process Improvement Statistical Methods Design Verification Reliability Testing Performance Testing Optical Engineering Computer Engineering Product Requirements Validation Protocols Test Data Generation Product Certification Laboratory Experience Hardware Architecture Mechanical Engineering Electrical Engineering Scientific Instruments New Product Development Reliability Engineering Design Verification Test Automatic Test Equipment Engineering Design Process C++ (Programming Language) Verification And Validation Python (Programming Language) Continuous Improvement Process

At least 10 years, * 510+ years of experience in hardware test engineering, product characterization, validation, reliability engineering, or related engineering disciplines.

• Hands-on experience with hardware testing and test equipment in a laboratory environment.
• Strong background in hardware test, including development and execution of test plans and procedures.
• Experience developing and using automated test equipment (ATE) for complex hardware systems.
• Proficiency in Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, C++, or similar engineering software tools for test automation, data acquisition, and analysis.
• Ability to perform and interpret electrical, optical, mechanical, environmental, and system-level tests.
• Experience with reliability demonstration testing and environmental qualification testing.
• Familiarity with Design Verification Testing (DVT), Engineering Verification Testing (EVT), Production Verification Testing (PVT), and Design Validation Testing (DV).
• Strong data analysis skills, including the use of statistical methods to interpret test results and derive engineering insights.
• Demonstrated ability to lead or support root cause investigations and corrective action activities.
• Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Computer Engineering, or a related engineering discipline., * background in spectroscopy, photonics, optics, or analytical instrumentation is highly desirable.
• Experience with spectroscopy, photonics, optical instrumentation, analytical instruments, or precision electro-mechanical systems.
• Working knowledge of optical system characterization, fiber optics, lasers, detectors, and spectroscopy instrumentation.
• Experience in regulated environments such as ISO 9001, FDA, or similar quality systems.
• Understanding of quality, compliance, and reliability principles in product development and testing.
• M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering or scientific discipline is preferred.
• Experience supporting manufacturing test development and production transfer activities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and communicate technical information clearly through reports and presentations., Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.