Automotive Validation & Test Lab Lead

Diode Dynamics; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision plans (80%+

Life insurance and short-term disabled

401(k) match up to 4%

Onsite fitness center

Paid holidays (9 days)

Paid time off & parental leave

Profit-sharing up to 5%

Job summary

Diode Dynamics seeks an Engineering Validation Manager to lead design and production validation for automotive LED lighting products. You will own the DVP from early development, ensure specs reference standards, and manage validation across environmental, photometric, and EMI/EMC performance.

You will lead the in-house Lab, drive ISO 17025 certification, and coordinate external labs when needed, balancing timelines and costs while supporting cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical, Mechanical, Optical, or related Engineering field.
• 5+ years of experience in product validation, test engineering, or laboratory management.
• Strong working knowledge of automotive validation processes including environmental, photometric, electrical performance, and EMI/EMC.
• Hands-on experience writing and executing DVP/DVP&R and production validation activities.
• Familiarity with SAE, DOT, ECE, ISO, MIL, ASTM, IEC requirements and customer specs.
• Experience managing or operating a test laboratory; ISO 17025 accreditation is a plus.
• Ability to design fixtures/jigs, operate lab equipment, and interpret test data.
• Excellent technical writing and communication skills for validation reports.
• Self-starter in a fast-paced environment with good organization and multi-project management.
• Experience coordinating external lab testing and vendor relationships preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead early involvement in new product projects: establish and approve the DVP from start and ensure drawings reference test standards.
• Own design validation and production validation for new and existing products (environmental, photometric, EMI/EMC).
• Manage the in-house Validation Lab including equipment maintenance, calibration, logging, fixtures, scheduling, and operations.
• Drive ISO 17025 certification: establish and maintain quality systems, procedures, and docs.
• Plan, execute, and oversee validation testing of prototypes, first articles, and production samples per DVP and standards.
• Analyze test data, write validation reports, and support external compliance reporting (DOT/SAE).
• Coordinate testing with external labs when needed, ensuring timelines, data quality, and cost control.
• Test products on vehicles to ensure fitment and on-vehicle performance goals.
• Collaborate with Design Engineering to provide validation support and drive design improvements.
• Develop and maintain standard test procedures and lab best practices.
• Support Marketing/Sales with product performance data and competitive testing.
• Lead and develop the Test Engineering team and vendor relationships.

Skills

Validation leadership

Test engineering

Lab management

DVP/DVP&R

Electrical/optical engineering

Documentation & reporting

Vendor coordination

On-site operations

Automotive testing

Data interpretation

Education

BS in Electrical, Mechanical, Optical, or related Engineering field

Tools

Lab equipment

Jig/fixture design

Job description

Diode Dynamics seeks an Engineering Validation Manager to lead design and production validation for automotive LED lighting products. You will own the DVP from early development, ensure specs reference standards, and manage validation across environmental, photometric, and EMI/EMC performance.

You will lead the in-house Lab, drive ISO 17025 certification, and coordinate external labs when needed, balancing timelines and costs while supporting cross-functional teams.