Hardware Test and Validation Engineer

DigiStor; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

DigiStor is seeking a practical hardware engineer to validate DigiStor products in PCs, client systems, workstations and servers. You will build test configurations, investigate compatibility and connectivity issues, and produce clear reports to support product qualification and customer troubleshooting.

The role focuses on hardware integration, system behavior and working at the bench. Expect travel to DigiStor testing locations; remote/hybrid setup with on-site needs in Austin, TX area.

Qualifications

• Hands-on hardware testing experience on PCs, client systems, workstations or servers.
• Ability to assemble/configure systems and update BIOS/drivers.
• Understanding of PCIe and storage connectivity families.
• Experience defining test cases and acceptance criteria.

Responsibilities

• Create and execute hardware validation plans for functionality, compatibility, connectivity, stability and regression testing.
• Assemble and configure PC, client, workstation and server test systems and maintain records.
• Validate storage devices, enclosures, host adapters and expansion cards across platforms.
• Test PCIe and storage connectivity (NVMe, SATA, SAS, SCSI, USB) and check speeds and logs.
• Assess boot, sleep, resume, power cycling and hot-plug behavior; check data integrity after changes.
• Isolate failures with controlled changes and document repeatable steps.
• Use diagnostics and storage workloads to investigate electrical, thermal, mechanical and integration issues.
• Produce reports with setup details, methods, results and evidence; track defects.

Skills

Hardware testing

Bench testing

System integration

PCIe testing

Windows

Linux

Tools

Multimeters

Oscilloscopes

Protocol analyzers

Thermal chambers

Job description

About DigiStor

DigiStor develops secure data-at-rest storage solutions for enterprise, edge and sensitive computing environments. Our engineering teams bring together SSD technology, firmware and security to deliver storage that customers can depend on.

About the role

We are seeking a practical hardware engineer to validate DigiStor products in PCs, client systems, workstations and servers. You will build test configurations, investigate compatibility and connectivity issues, and produce clear reports that support product qualification and customer troubleshooting.

The role focuses on hardware integration and system behavior. It suits someone who enjoys working at the bench and can isolate problems across platforms, storage devices, adapters, enclosures, drivers and cabling.

This role is remote/hybrid but the person needs to be located in or near Austin, TX as the role will require travel to DigiStor testing locations. The role requires regular access to physical hardware; the ongoing work location and onsite expectations will be agreed during recruitment.

Key responsibilities

Create and execute hardware validation plans covering functionality, compatibility, connectivity, stability and regression testing.

Assemble and configure PC, client, workstation and server test systems. Maintain controlled records of BIOS, drivers, operating systems and hardware.

Validate storage devices, removable carriers, enclosures, host adapters and expansion cards across supported platforms and interface configurations.

Test PCIe and storage connectivity, including NVMe, SATA, SAS, SCSI and USB where applicable. Check enumeration, negotiated link speed, width and error logs.

Assess boot, reboot, sleep and resume, power cycling and hot-plug behavior where supported. Check recovery and data integrity after state changes.

Isolate failures through controlled changes to drives, slots, adapters, cables, firmware and host settings. Document repeatable reproduction steps.

Use system diagnostics, storage workloads and bench equipment to investigate electrical, thermal, mechanical and integration issues with engineering colleagues.

Produce reports with setup details, methods, pass or fail results and evidence. Track defects, verify fixes and maintain reusable compatibility matrices.

Required experience and capabilities

Hands-on experience in hardware testing, system validation, integration testing or technical troubleshooting of PCs and client platforms.

Confidence assembling and configuring systems, replacing components, updating BIOS and drivers, and checking that a configuration is suitable for the test.

Working knowledge of PCIe and storage connectivity, including NVMe, SATA, SAS, SCSI and USB, with practical troubleshooting experience in several of these technologies.

Understanding of how host controllers, expansion cards, bridges, backplanes, cabling and device firmware can affect compatibility and reliability.

Ability to configure Windows and Linux test systems and use their diagnostic tools, device information and logs to investigate hardware behavior.

Experience defining test cases and acceptance criteria, controlling variables, reproducing failures and generating clear, traceable technical reports.

Good lab discipline, safe component handling and basic bench measurement skills. A relevant technical qualification or equivalent practical experience.

Additional experience we value

Experience with storage enclosures, removable drive systems, RAID or HBA configurations, and qualification on OEM PC or server platforms.

Use of multimeters, oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, thermal chambers or other hardware validation equipment.

Bash, Python or PowerShell scripting for automated test execution and log collection; familiarity with fio, nvme-cli or smartctl.

Knowledge of SSD technology, self-encrypting drives or secure storage products, and experience working with mechanical or electrical design teams.

What success looks like

Compatibility results are repeatable and linked to documented configurations. Failures are isolated with evidence, and fixes are verified across relevant platforms. Engineering and support teams can use the reports and test procedures to resolve issues and assess product readiness.

DigiStor is committed to building an inclusive working environment. Employment decisions are based on business needs, role requirements, and individual qualifications.