Senior QA Engineer – HIL & Test Automation

Palitronica Inc.; Southwestern Ontario; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Palitronica Inc. is seeking a Senior QA Engineer with strong hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and test automation experience to ensure reliability of the Anvil platform.

This hands-on role tests systems combining hardware, embedded software, cloud services, and measurement workflows. You will develop and maintain automated test setups, translate requirements into repeatable tests, and collaborate with Hardware, Software, ML, DevOps, and TPM teams.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in QA, validation, system test, test engineering, or a related engineering role.
• Strong experience testing hardware/software integrated systems, ideally using hardware-in-the-loop techniques.
• Strong Python scripting and automation skills.
• Experience automating laboratory equipment, embedded devices, test fixtures, or similar physical systems.
• Comfortable troubleshooting issues that may span hardware, software, networking, and test infrastructure.
• Experience designing repeatable test procedures and analysing large sets of test results.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute system-level validation, regression, reliability, and repeatability testing for Anvil.
• Develop and maintain hardware-in-the-loop test setups that exercise Anvil devices, fixtures, peripherals, and associated software.
• Build Python-based automation for test execution, device control, data collection, configuration, logging, and result processing.
• Translate engineering requirements and known failure modes into practical, repeatable test procedures.
• Define test plans and acceptance criteria for new features, hardware revisions, and system changes.
• Coordinate and oversee technicians or other team members performing structured testing and large-scale data-collection activities.
• Create clear test procedures and runbooks so test campaigns can be executed consistently by others.
• Monitor test execution and data quality, identify invalid or inconsistent results, and investigate unexpected behaviour.
• Reproduce and isolate failures across hardware, firmware/edge software, networking, backend services, and test infrastructure.
• Work closely with Hardware, Software, ML, DevOps, and TPM teams to communicate findings and drive issues to resolution.
• Improve test infrastructure and automation to reduce manual effort, increase coverage, and improve repeatability.
• Maintain test results, logs, configurations, and supporting evidence required for engineering investigations and release validation.

Skills

Python scripting

Hardware-in-the-loop testing

Test automation

Lab bench testing

Linux

Data analysis

Communication

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Team mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

pytest

CI/CD

Embedded devices

Job description

Overview

Palitronica is looking for a

Overview

Palitronica is looking for a Senior QA Engineer with strong hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and test automation experience to help ensure the reliability and repeatability of our Anvil platform.

This is a hands-on role focused on testing systems that combine hardware, embedded/edge software, cloud services, and measurement workflows. You will develop and maintain automated test setups, design validation and regression testing, troubleshoot failures across the system, and coordinate technicians or other team members performing repetitive test runs and data-collection campaigns.

The ideal candidate is comfortable both writing Python automation and working at a lab bench with real hardware.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute system-level validation, regression, reliability, and repeatability testing for Anvil.
• Develop and maintain hardware-in-the-loop test setups that exercise Anvil devices, fixtures, peripherals, and associated software.
• Build Python-based automation for test execution, device control, data collection, configuration, logging, and result processing.
• Translate engineering requirements and known failure modes into practical, repeatable test procedures.
• Define test plans and acceptance criteria for new features, hardware revisions, and system changes.
• Coordinate and oversee technicians or other team members performing structured testing and large-scale data-collection activities.
• Create clear test procedures and runbooks so test campaigns can be executed consistently by others.
• Monitor test execution and data quality, identify invalid or inconsistent results, and investigate unexpected behaviour.
• Reproduce and isolate failures across hardware, firmware/edge software, networking, backend services, and test infrastructure.
• Work closely with Hardware, Software, ML, DevOps, and TPM teams to communicate findings and drive issues to resolution.
• Improve test infrastructure and automation to reduce manual effort, increase coverage, and improve repeatability.
• Maintain test results, logs, configurations, and supporting evidence required for engineering investigations and release validation.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in QA, validation, system test, test engineering, or a related engineering role.
• Strong experience testing hardware/software integrated systems, ideally using hardware-in-the-loop techniques.
• Strong Python scripting and automation skills.
• Experience automating laboratory equipment, embedded devices, test fixtures, or similar physical systems.
• Comfortable troubleshooting issues that may span hardware, software, networking, and test infrastructure.
• Experience designing repeatable test procedures and analysing large sets of test results.
• Familiarity with Linux, command-line tools, APIs, and automated test frameworks.
• Strong attention to test integrity, repeatability, configuration control, and documentation.
• Ability to provide technical direction to technicians or junior team members executing test procedures.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Nice to Have

• Experience with electronics test environments.
• Experience with embedded Linux or IoT/edge devices.
• Experience with pytest or similar Python testing frameworks.
• Experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience with reliability, soak, stress, fault-injection, or environmental testing.
• Experience collecting datasets used for algorithm or ML validation.

Export Control, Controlled Goods & Security Eligibility

• This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software, or technical information controlled under the Canadian Export Control List, the Canadian Controlled Goods Program, the Canadian Industrial Security Program, the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and/or the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
• All applicants must be eligible or able to obtain authorization for such access, including eligibility for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program, and must be able to obtain a Canadian NATO Secret clearance.

Why Join Palitronica?

• Work with cutting-edge technology at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, and advanced electronics testing.
• Help protect critical supply chains and infrastructure.
• Join a high-growth company serving some of the world's most demanding industries.
• Collaborate with a talented and mission-driven team.
• Make a measurable impact on the company's growth trajectory.
• Palitronica is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates.

Use of AI in Hiring

Palitronica may use artificial intelligence tools to assist with the screening or assessment of applicants. These tools are used strictly as an aid, and all hiring decisions are made by human reviewers.