Mechanical Test Engineer

Pentangle Tech Services | P5 Group; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Pentangle Tech Services | P5 Group in San Francisco, CA seeks a Senior–Staff Mechanical Test Engineer to lead hardware validation from development through field deployment. You will design test fixtures, build automated rigs, conduct reliability tests, and perform data analysis to support design decisions.

The role requires strong fundamentals in mechanics, FEA proficiency, CAD skills, and hands-on experience with instrumentation.

Qualifications

• Must own mechanical/electromechanical hardware validation from development through production and field deployment.
• Experience designing/building mechanical test fixtures, rigs, and automated test systems.
• Strong fundamentals in statics/dynamics, kinematics, fatigue, wear, materials, and tolerance analysis.
• Proficiency with FEA and CAD/drawings.
• Experience with instrumentation and data acquisition, sensor selection, calibration, and troubleshooting.
• Experience validating electromechanical systems (actuators, sensors, electronics, bearings, seals, harnesses).
• Knowledge of experimental design, statistics, life testing, measurement uncertainty, and reliability testing.
• Ability to develop test automation and data analysis tools using Python or similar.
• Experience root cause failure analysis and corrective action.
• Experience environmental, durability, structural load, lifecycle, and reliability testing.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with design, manufacturing, suppliers, and technicians.
• Strong written and verbal communication for test plans/reports.

Skills

Hardware validation

Test fixtures design

Automated test systems

Statics & dynamics

Kinematics

Fatigue & wear analysis

FEA

CAD & drawings

Instrumentation & data acquisition

Python data analysis

Root cause analysis

Reliability testing

Cross-functional collaboration

Test methodology

Written/verbal communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD software

Data acquisition hardware

FEA software (e.g., ANSYS)

Job description

Mechanical Test Engineer, Hardware Validation (Senior–Staff)

Must-Have Qualifications

• Proven experience owning mechanical or electromechanical hardware validation from development through production and field deployment.
• Strong hands-on experience designing and building mechanical test fixtures, test rigs, and automated test systems.
• Solid mechanical engineering fundamentals, including:
• • Statics and dynamics
  • Kinematics
  • Fatigue and wear analysis
  • Materials
  • Tolerance analysis
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
• Proficiency with CAD and engineering drawings.
• Experience with instrumentation and data acquisition systems, including sensor selection, installation, calibration, and troubleshooting.
• Experience testing and validating electromechanical systems involving actuators, sensors, electronics, embedded controls, bearings, seals, and harnesses.
• Strong knowledge of test methodology, including experimental design, statistical analysis, accelerated life testing, measurement uncertainty, and reliability testing.
• Ability to develop test automation and data analysis tools using Python (or similar programming language).
• Proven root cause failure analysis and corrective action experience.
• Experience performing environmental, durability, structural load, lifecycle, and reliability testing.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with design, manufacturing, suppliers, and technicians.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for test plans, reports, and engineering recommendations.

Additional Requirements

• Must be able to work onsite in South San Francisco with regular lab work.
• Able to travel to suppliers, manufacturers, test sites, and deployment locations as needed.