Firmware / PLC Software Test Engineer

Lancesoft; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Lancesoft in Durham, NC is seeking a Firmware / PLC Software Test Engineer for onsite work on a year-long contract. The role focuses on quality verification of PLC-based software used in automated electromechanical systems, requiring strong electrical engineering knowledge to troubleshoot PLC software with hardware, sensors, actuators, and motion-control devices.

The candidate will independently test PLC software, develop test procedures, and verify system behavior against requirements, while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Controls/Software engineering or related field.
• Experience with PLC software testing, controls engineering, industrial automation, firmware testing, or system verification.
• 5+ years of applicable experience

Responsibilities

• Verify PLC software functionality, reliability, and system behavior prior to release.
• Develop and execute PLC test procedures, test cases, and verification protocols.
• Perform hands-on testing on actual equipment, test stations, and simulators.
• Test PLC functionality under normal and fault conditions, alarms, and interlocks.
• Collaborate with PLC developers while maintaining an independent testing perspective.
• Support root-cause investigation of PLC software and hardware interactions.
• Document defects with reproducible test conditions and expected vs. observed results.
• Contribute to test environment and method improvements for coverage and consistency.

Skills

PLC testing

Control systems

Troubleshooting

Electromechanical systems

Regression testing

System verification

Electrical schematics

Software version control

Defect tracking

Education

Bachelor's degree in EE/CE/Software

Tools

Version control

Defect tracking

Requirements management

Job description

Title

Firmware / PLC Software Test Engineer

Duration

Oct 26, 2026 Oct 25, 2027

Location

Durham, NC 27703

Schedule

1st Shift North America, 9: 00 AM -5: 00 PM This is an Onsite position.

Job Description

The Firmware / PLC Software Test Engineer will be responsible for the quality verification and validation of PLC-based software used in automated electromechanical systems. This role will serve as an independent software quality function, testing PLC and controls software against defined requirements, identifying defects and unexpected system behavior, and ensuring software is ready for release. A strong electrical engineering background is highly desirable, particularly for troubleshooting interactions between PLC software, electrical hardware, sensors, actuators, safety devices, and motion-control systems.

Key Responsibilities

Serve as a quality-focused PLC software tester, independently verifying PLC software functionality, reliability, and system behavior prior to release. Develop, maintain, and execute PLC software test procedures, test cases, and verification protocols based on functional and system requirements. Perform hands‑on testing of PLC software on actual equipment, test stations, simulators, and laboratory setups. Verify that implemented PLC functionality meets defined requirements, expected system behavior, and acceptance criteria. Perform functional, regression, integration, negative, boundary, and fault‑condition testing of PLC software. Test system behavior during abnormal conditions, including sensor failures, communication faults, interlock conditions, sequencing errors, and other fault scenarios. Verify proper operation of alarms, events, fault handling, recovery sequences, diagnostics, and system logging. Identify, document, reproduce, and track software defects through resolution and retesting. Work closely with PLC developers while maintaining an independent testing and qu ality perspective. Support root‑cause investigation of issues involving interactions between PLC software, electrical systems, sensors, actuators, motion‑control devices, and other system components. Develop and improve repeatable test methods and test environments to increase PLC software test coverage and consistency. Maintain clear test documentation, including test results, defect records, traceability, and verification evidence. Support software release readiness by ensuring required testing has been completed and identified defects have been appropriately addressed. Collaborate with Electrical, Mechanical, Systems, Software, Manufacturing, and Quality Engineering teams during system verification and troubleshooting.

Skills and Experience

Strong experience testing PLC-based control systems and industrial automation software. Ability to read and understand PLC programs, control logic, sequences, state machines, interlocks, alarms, and fault-handling logic. Experience developing and executing structured software test cases from system and functional requirements. Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills for complex electromechanical systems. Hands‑on experience testing systems incorporating sensors, actuators, motor drives, servo systems, safety devices, industrial communications, and motion control. Experience performing regression, integration, negative, fault‑injection, and system‑level testing. Ability to clearly document software defects with reproducible test conditions, expected behavior, and observed behavior. Experience with software version control, defect tracking, requirements management, and software release processes is preferred. Electrical Engineering experience is strongly preferred , particularly experience troubleshooting control panels, I/O, sensors, actuators, communications, and electrical interfaces. Ability to read electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, I/O drawings, and system architecture diagrams is highly desirable. Strong hands‑on engineering aptitude and the ability to troubleshoot whether an observed problem originates from PLC software, electrical hardware, communications, mechanical behavior, or system integration.

Qualifications

Required Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Controls Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Experience with PLC software testing, controls engineering, industrial automation, firmware testing, or system verification. Experience working with complex automated or electromechanical equipment. Strong attention to detail with a quality and verification mindset. Ability to independently challenge software behavior against requirements rather than relying solely on developer testing. 5+ years of applicable experience