Hardware System Test Engineer Bristol

Fractile Ltd; Bristol; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Collaborative work environment

Rapid iteration cycle

Opportunity for growth within a fast-expanding team

Job summary

A leading tech company in Bristol is seeking an experienced engineer to develop and maintain hardware defect detection tests for AI accelerator platforms. This role involves working closely with engineering teams to implement effective tests for assembly and service environments, requiring a solid background in system engineering and hardware architectures. Candidates should have hands-on experience with defect detection methods and the ability to debug complex hardware issues, contributing to quality assurance in a collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• 3–7 years of experience in system, server, or hardware test engineering.
• Solid understanding of server hardware architectures and PCIe fabrics.
• Hands-on experience developing hardware defect detection tests.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain system-level hardware defect detection tests.
• Implement tests to detect assembly defects and hardware issues.
• Analyze factory and field failure data to identify and propose test improvements.

Skills

Hardware defect detection

Debug skills

Test code writing

Education

BS or MS in Electronics and Electrical, Computer, or Systems Engineering

Job description

Fractile is building silicon, systems and software which will redefine the frontier of AI: running the world’s most advanced models at radically higher speed and lower cost. We have an exceptional team across hardware and software capable of bringing about this change, and we are growing fast to meet demand and deliver our product at scale.

We’re looking for an engineer to develop and maintain system-level hardware defect detection tests for an AI accelerator server platform. The role is focused on implementing, executing, and improving tests used in factory assembly and service/repair environments to identify hardware defects quickly and reliably. Work closely with the System Test Engineering Lead to translate defect detection strategy into robust, repeatable test implementations rather than design validation.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain system-level hardware defect detection tests for individual servers and rack-based systems.
• Implement tests to detect assembly defects, marginal components, damaged hardware, cabling or interconnect issues, cooling faults, etc.
• Develop service and field diagnostic tests used for RMA triage, repair validation, and preventative maintenance.
• Implement deterministic, fast-running tests with clear pass/fail criteria and actionable failure output suitable for manufacturing and service technicians.
• Develop PCIe defect detection tests to identify lane faults, link degradation, polarity issues, retimer problems, and intermittent connectivity failures.
• Implement stress and soak tests designed to expose latent or marginal hardware issues.
• Debug test failures and hardware issues, performing root-cause analysis and escalating design or process issues as appropriate.
• Analyze factory and field failure data to identify coverage gaps and propose test improvements.
• Support deployment, versioning, and maintenance of test software across factory and service environments.
• Collaborate with software development teams to integrate tests into production system software.
• Collaborate with hardware, manufacturing, service, and reliability teams to ensure tests align with known defect modes and operational needs.

Required Qualifications

• BS or MS in Electronics and Electrical, Computer, or Systems Engineering.
• 3–7 years of experience in system, server, or hardware test engineering, preferably in manufacturing or service environments.
• Solid understanding of server hardware architectures, PCIe fabrics, power delivery, cooling systems, and common failure modes.
• Hands‑on experience developing or executing hardware defect detection or diagnostic tests.
• Experience working in Linux-based test environments.
• Familiarity with BMC-based systems and basic use of OpenBMC or Redfish interfaces.
• Strong debug skills and the ability to distinguish test issues from real hardware faults.
• Ability to write clear test code, logs, and documentation for operational use.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AI accelerator, GPU, or high‑performance compute servers.
• Exposure to PCIe Gen4/5/6 systems or other high‑speed serial interconnects.
• Experience diagnosing intermittent, marginal, or temperature‑dependent hardware failures.
• Experience working with liquid‑cooled or thermally complex server platforms.

How we work

• Ownership and execution: you will have full agency to drive your work forward
• Rapid iteration: we all work directly with top leadership to move from idea to hardware on ambitious timelines
• Full‑stack engagement: hardware, software, silicon, and modelling teams all work closely together to create a product with generational impact
• Optimistic and pragmatic: we possess the will to win, and to do the hard work to get us there
• Team player mentality: the mission is bigger than any of us, and we have the curiosity and technical focus to see the best idea shipped, no matter who’s it is

About us

• Founded in 2022, team of 70+ which is expanding rapidly
• Modern, open offices in London and Bristol
• Collaborative, problem‑solving culture built on deep curiosity, entrepreneurial initiative and technical fluency

Export control and security clearance

Certain roles may involve working on technologies subject to export restrictions. Applicants may be required to undergo additional eligibility checks to ensure compliance with applicable law.