Test Automation Technical Lead

PE Global; Cambourne; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

PE Global is seeking an ATE Technical Lead in Cambourne to drive the architecture, development and lifecycle of Automated Test Equipment for a product line. The role combines hands-on leadership with coordination across hardware, embedded software, and manufacturing teams.

You will own the ATE technical roadmap, oversee tester requirements and integration plans, and support production readiness with CMOs and external partners in multiple time zones.

Qualifications

• Degree in electrical/computer engineering or related field required.
• Minimum 5 years hands-on experience with ATE system integration and production support.
• Proven track record leading multidisciplinary engineering or manufacturing projects.
• Strong hardware, software, and test-instrumentation integration expertise.
• Experience with NI TestStand or equivalent automated test platforms.
• Proficiency in Python and test automation; capable of data analysis and debugging.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture and lifecycle management of ATE systems for a product line.
• Define tester requirements, strategies, and production transfer plans.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams including hardware, software, and manufacturing.
• Provide Tier 2 technical leadership and troubleshooting for production ATE.
• Collaborate with CMOs and external partners across time zones.

Skills

Leadership

Python

Analytical skills

Test automation

Hardware systems expertise

Education

B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

NI TestStand

Automation test platforms

Linux

SQL databases

Embedded interfaces (I2C/SPI/UART)

Job description

PE Global is currently recruiting for an ATE Technical Lead to join our client based in Cambourne. The role is an initial 24-month contract, working on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 3 days per week onsite.

To lead the development, deployment, and lifecycle ownership of Automated Test Equipment for a product line. This role combines hands-on technical leadership, multidisciplinary project execution, production-line support, and close collaboration with internal engineering teams and external manufacturing partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, development, validation, deployment, and lifecycle management of ATE systems for a product line.
• Own the ATE technical roadmap, ensuring maintainability, standardization, scalability, and alignment with product and production needs.
• Define tester requirements, test strategies, integration plans, acceptance criteria, documentation packages, and production transfer plans.
• Lead tester bring-up and integration across mechanical, electronic, embedded, software, fixture, instrumentation, and production interfaces.
• Manage ATE project execution end-to-end, including requirements, design reviews, gate approvals, planning, scheduling, risk management, and stakeholder communication.
• Work closely with CMOs to support production readiness, tester deployment, issue escalation, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement across time zones.
• Coordinate technical activities with hardware, software, embedded, mechanical, operations, manufacturing engineering, quality, and external subcontractors.
• Provide Tier 2 and technical-lead support for production ATE systems, including troubleshooting, calibration, failure analysis, reliability improvement, and yield optimization.
• Analyze test and manufacturing data to identify trends, root causes, yield improvements, and opportunities for process optimization.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary product and platform teams in the UK, Israel and California, USA.

Requirements

• B.Sc. or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience in ATE system integration, development, validation, deployment, and production support.
• Proven experience leading technical projects in a multidisciplinary engineering or manufacturing environment.
• Strong hands-on expertise with hardware systems, embedded interfaces, networks, instrumentation, debugging, and system-level integration.
• Strong hands-on experience with National Instruments TestStand, automated test development, hardware integration, and production support environments, or equivalent automated test platforms.
• Proficiency in Python and test automation development, including debugging, tool creation, data processing, and system integration.
• Strong analytical skills for test data analysis, failure investigation, process improvement, and yield optimization.
• Experience working with Linux-based systems, command-line tools, and SQL databases in engineering or manufacturing environments.
• Experience with manufacturing databases, production data pipelines, and engineering data analysis tools.
• Experience with hardware communication protocols such as I2C, SPI, UART, Ethernet, or similar embedded and instrumentation interfaces.
• Experience with automated instrumentation, fixture design considerations, tester safety, calibration, and production maintainability.
• Knowledge of server, platform, and test-station management in production environments.
• Experience working with subcontractors, external vendors, CMO production teams, and procurement processes for tester or prototype parts.

Please note PE Global cannot provide visa sponsorship for this role, candidates will need the full right to live and work within the UK for at least the next 24 months.