Appliance Test Engineer

Clark Associates; Lancaster (Lancaster County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Clark Associates is seeking an experienced Product Test Engineer to evaluate reliability, safety, and quality for new item work and existing products. You will plan and perform hands-on testing and coordinate with internal teams and external labs to ensure product requirements are met.

The role emphasizes strong collaboration with product managers and supplier quality engineers across the development cycle, with opportunities to influence test strategies and product improvements.

Responsibilities

• Plans test approaches and executes functional, safety, and reliability testing on new item work and in-market products; documents findings in structured reports.
• Coordinates testing internally and via external labs, suppliers, or third parties; reviews results against the product test plan.
• Reviews supplier and vendor test data and documents submitted to Clark's product development process.
• Works with product managers to clarify technical requirements of the product under test.
• Investigates product failures, field complaints, and warranty data to identify root causes and corrective actions.
• Operates data acquisition tools and test instrumentation; analyzes data to identify trends and inform product improvements.
• Partners with supplier quality engineers, product managers, and manufacturers throughout the test and validation lifecycle.
• Conducts hands-on testing across mechanical, electrical, gas, and plumbing systems.
• Plans and executes test timelines within priorities; communicates status to stakeholders.
• Sources, calibrates, and maintains test equipment and materials.
• Conducts market and competitive research to identify trends and customer expectations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job description

Job Summary

Clark's RaD (Research & Development) team evaluates the reliability, safety, and quality of both new item work (products in development, prior to launch) and existing item work (in-market products, field issues, and customer complaints). Today that scope is primarily large commercial foodservice equipment, and it is expected to expand over time to include other product categories such as non-durable goods (e.g., disposable goods), furniture, and industrial equipment for our private label product. The Product Test Engineer is an experienced, hands-on role responsible for planning test approaches, executing hands-on testing, and coordinating testing that is performed internally as well as testing set up and delegated to external labs, suppliers, or other third parties. This role works daily with supplier quality engineers and product managers across the product development and test process, including reviewing supplier and vendor test data against Clark's requests and product test plan, and working with product managers to clarify the technical requirements of the product under test.

This is an experienced individual contributor position, not an entry-level role, and should thrive in a fast-paced environment. Depending on a candidate's background, the balance of this role may lean more toward hands-on test execution or more toward test plan development and project management; both paths into this role are critical to our success.

Responsibilities

• Plans test approaches and executes functional, safety, and reliability testing on both new item work (products in development) and existing item work (in-market products); documents findings in clear, structured reports for purchasing teams, product managers, and manufacturers.
• Coordinates testing performed internally as well as testing set up and delegated to external labs, suppliers, or other third parties; reviews results against Clark's product test plan to confirm requirements are met.
• Reviews supplier and vendor test data and documentation submitted in response to requests generated through Clark's product development process.
• Works with product managers through clarification exercises to help narrow down the technical requirements of the product being tested or developed.
• Investigates product failures, field complaints, and warranty data on existing items to identify root causes and recommend corrective or preventive actions.
• Operates data acquisition (DAQ) tools and test instrumentation (temperature, power, pressure, humidity, and similar parameters); analyzes collected data and identifies trends that inform product improvements.
• Partners regularly and directly with supplier quality engineers, product managers, and manufacturers throughout the test and validation lifecycle, from early review through issue resolution and product release.
• Conducts hands-on testing across a range of product types, which may include mechanical, electrical, gas, and plumbing systems.
• Works within testing priorities set by team leadership to plan and execute test timelines, with flexibility in day-to-day sequencing and approach; communicates status and timing to stakeholders as work progresses.
• Sources, calibrates, and maintains the test equipment, tools, and materials needed to support testing.
• Conducts market and competitive research on product categories under test to identify trends, customer expectations, and common complaints; uses findings to identify improvement opportunities.
• Other duties as assigned.