Hardware Test Engineer

Optivolt; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Unlimited PTO

Pre-IPO equity

Job summary

Optivolt in San Francisco is seeking a hands-on Hardware Test Engineer to build validation systems for fast, reliable solar hardware. You will own hands-on electrical and system-level testing from prototype characterization to automated regression, field validation, and production test development.

You will work across hardware and firmware, write repeatable test plans and acceptance criteria, and collaborate with engineers to turn measurements into actionable fixes.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on hardware test, validation, or electrical engineering experience.
• Strong electrical fundamentals and ability to read schematics and debug circuits.
• Experience with oscilloscopes, power analyzers, electronic loads, DAQs, and bench instrumentation.
• Python proficiency for automation, analysis, and instrument control.

Responsibilities

• Build test systems that engineers rely on. Design and maintain test benches for Hub, power electronics, and integrated solar systems.
• Automate repetitive validation work. Develop automated test scripts, fixtures, instrumentation interfaces, and data collection systems.
• Measure essential metrics. Characterize electrical performance, efficiency, thermal behavior, and protection functions.
• Find and reproduce edge cases through functional, environmental, stress, and firmware/hardware regression testing.
• Make failures reproducible. Build hardware-in-the-loop or other automated system validation where useful.
• Turn measurements into answers. Analyze data, reproduce failures, isolate root causes, and collaborate with engineers on fixes.
• Work across hardware and firmware. Write repeatable test plans, acceptance criteria, procedures, and concise reports.
• Bring validation into production. Support certification testing, outdoor trials, and end-of-line manufacturing test.

Skills

Hardware testing

Electrical fundamentals

Test automation

Lab equipment

Python automation

Cross-disciplinary debugging

Repeatable tests

Ownership

Tools

SCPI

LabVIEW

CAN

UART

SPI

Oscilloscopes

Power analyzers

Job description

About Optivolt

Optivolt’s mission is to overshoot humanity’s energy supply by reimagining solar.

America is at an inflection point. We need reliable energy fast. The grid is aging. And solar, the only technology that deploys quickly enough, is still constrained by technology frozen in time.

To close this gap, we build intelligent solar systems that think and adapt to real world conditions. Optivolt solar systems understand the sun, the weather, shading, harsh conditions, and optimize energy flow in real time. Every Optivolt panel is designed with an aerospace power electronics brain sealed inside to make solar more powerful and cost effective than ever in any condition.

The next step is putting it everywhere. In the home as Optivolt Home Solar and in the field as Optivolt Solar Fields. Hyper performant, controllable, reliable solar that works for everyone, everywhere.

Our Team & Traction

Optivolt is a team of some of the best builders and doers in the world, drawing from incredible talent pools in aerospace, electrical engineering, design-led organizations. We ultimately will win by designing and building the world’s best solar energy products.

But chiefly important, our organization is a lab for those devoted to solving some of the toughest problems in energy. Everyone is expected to contribute to the mission meaningfully. Clear communication, rapid iteration, and strong work ethic is the floor for anyone on our team.

To date we’ve shipped over 20,000 units and have companies worth billions of dollars relying on our solar architecture.

Why we are looking for you

As a Hardware Test Engineer at Optivolt, you will build the test infrastructure and validation systems that allow us to develop reliable, high-performance solar products quickly.

You will own hands-on electrical and system-level testing, from prototype characterization to automated regression, field validation, and production test development.

What you’ll do

• Build test systems that engineers rely on. Design and maintain test benches for Hub, power electronics, and integrated solar systems.

• Automate repetitive validation work. Develop automated test scripts, fixtures, instrumentation interfaces, and data collection systems.

• Measure what matters. Characterize electrical performance, efficiency, communications, thermal behavior, and protection functions.

• Find the edge cases early. Run functional, environmental, stress, and firmware/hardware regression testing.

• Make failures reproducible. Build hardware-in-the-loop or other automated system validation where useful.

• Turn measurements into answers. Analyze data, reproduce failures, isolate root causes, and partner with engineers on fixes.

• Work across hardware and firmware. Write repeatable test plans, acceptance criteria, procedures, and concise reports.

• Bring validation into production. Support certification testing, outdoor trials, and end-of-line manufacturing test.

What we’re looking for

• You have tested real hardware. 3+ years of hands-on hardware test, validation, or electrical engineering experience.

• You know how to measure electrical systems. Strong electrical fundamentals and ability to read schematics and debug circuits.

• You can write useful test automation. Experience with oscilloscopes, power analyzers, electronic loads, DAQs, and bench instrumentation.

• You are comfortable with lab equipment. Python proficiency for automation, analysis, and instrument control.

• You can debug across disciplines. Experience building test fixtures and repeatable validation processes.

• You know how to build repeatable tests. Ability to distinguish hardware, firmware, communications, and system-level failure modes.

• You own problems through resolution. Strong experimental rigor, documentation, and ownership.

Preferred skills

• Experience with DC-DC converters, solar, batteries, or embedded controllers.

• Familiarity with environmental chambers and accelerated reliability testing.

• Experience with SCPI, LabVIEW, CAN, UART, SPI, or similar interfaces.

• Experience building production test equipment and dashboards.

Additional requirements

• Willingness to work extended hours as needed to support critical milestones

• Everyone at Optivolt is required to participate in on call support for customers

• Must be based in San Francisco, CA

Pay and benefits

The estimated starting base salary range for this role is $150K-210K depending on level, location and experience, plus a generous pre-IPO equity package

Other benefits include comprehensive health coverage, unlimited PTO, plus extra fun perks!