Electrical Hardware Test & Prototyping Engineer

thrively; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Thrively is seeking an electrical hardware test engineer to own test, validation, and prototype development across the hardware lifecycle. You’ll build custom test systems for ASICs and PCBAs, debug complex issues, and contribute to PCB design as prototypes progress toward production.

The role emphasizes hands-on lab work, solving ambiguous hardware problems, and end-to-end ownership from design to bring-up to production in a fast-paced AI hardware environment.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering.
• 5–8+ years of experience in electrical hardware test, validation, or design.
• Strong hands-on experience with PCBAs, board bring-up, electrical debugging, and hardware validation.
• Experience in test automation using Python or similar scripting languages.
• Excellent lab skills with standard test equipment and debugging tools.
• Ability to troubleshoot hardware at board/component level and perform root-cause analysis.
• Experience with PCB design, schematic capture, and layout using Altium Designer.
• Hands-on soldering to 0402 and above.
• Strong technical communication and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and program custom electrical test stations for ASICs, PCBAs, and subsystems.
• Develop creative test approaches for non-off-the-shelf solutions.
• Evaluate and select test equipment, fixtures, sockets, wafer probers, and related hardware.
• Collaborate with vendors to procure or develop specialized test equipment.
• Integrate instrumentation and software into automated test systems.
• Develop test automation and custom test protocols.
• Design R&D, production-test, and product circuit boards.
• Contribute to architecture diagrams and component selection.
• Perform schematic design and contribute to PCB layout.
• Manage PCB fabrication and assembly.
• Bring up and verify newly built hardware.
• Hands-on debugging with scopes, meters, loads, probes.
• Identify root causes of electrical failures and drive corrective actions.
• Develop and execute validation plans for prototypes and production tests.
• Participate in FMEA/FMECA activities.
• Create engineering, test, and manufacturing documentation.

Skills

PCB test & bring-up

Test automation (Python)

Electrical debugging

Schematic capture

PCB design

Documentation

Soldering 0402

Education

BS or MS in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Multimeters

Waveform generators

Electronic loads

Job description

Thrively is seeking an electrical hardware test engineer to own test, validation, and prototype development across the hardware lifecycle. You’ll build custom test systems for ASICs and PCBAs, debug complex issues, and contribute to PCB design as prototypes progress toward production.

The role emphasizes hands-on lab work, solving ambiguous hardware problems, and end-to-end ownership from design to bring-up to production in a fast-paced AI hardware environment.