Python Software Engineer - Test Systems & Automation

Red Oak Technologies; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Red Oak Technologies in the United States is seeking a Senior Python Software Engineer – Manufacturing Test Automation to design, develop, and maintain software powering automated production test systems for advanced hardware products. This hands-on role focuses on production-quality Python code that interacts with hardware, controls test instrumentation, automates processes, and collects high-volume data.

You will work with Manufacturing, Hardware, Firmware, and Software teams to build scalable

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience (8+ years strongly preferred).
• Expert-level Python programming for production-quality software.
• Hands-on software interfacing with hardware and automated test equipment.
• Experience in manufacturing automation, test software, robotics, or similar hardware-focused apps.
• Strong OO programming, software architecture, and modular design.
• Experience with MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, or SQLite and SQL.
• Experience Linux/Unix environments and Git.
• Familiarity with SCPI, PyVISA, Serial, TCP/IP, Modbus.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain Python applications for automated manufacturing test systems.
• Build scalable software with hardware abstraction layers and modular design.
• Interface software with production equipment and lab instrumentation (oscilloscopes, DMMs, spectrometers).
• Design workflows to initialize devices, run tests, capture data, and reset systems for continuous manufacturing.
• Build data pipelines to collect, validate, and store test results in databases and MES.
• Develop fault-tolerant software with retries, error handling, and recovery.
• Troubleshoot software, instrumentation, and hardware issues to identify root causes on the line.
• Improve throughput by optimizing test sequences and station efficiency.
• Participate in code reviews and maintain Git workflows.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for NPIs and manufacturing improvements.

Job description

Python Software Engineer - Test Systems & Automation

About the Company

Our client is an innovative leader in the autonomous sensing, robotics, and advanced manufacturing industry, developing cutting‑edge hardware and software technologies used in autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, robotics, and smart infrastructure. Their engineering teams are building the next generation of intelligent sensing platforms that enable safer and more efficient systems worldwide.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Python Software Engineer – Manufacturing Test Automation to design, develop, and maintain the software that powers automated production test systems for advanced hardware products.

This is not a traditional QA, SDET, or software‑only engineering role. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on software engineer who enjoys writing production‑quality Python code that interacts directly with hardware, controls test instrumentation, automates manufacturing processes, and collects high‑volume production data.

You'll work closely with Manufacturing, Hardware, Firmware, and Software Engineering teams to build scalable automation solutions that improve product quality, increase factory throughput, and support new product introductions.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain Python applications for automated manufacturing test systems.
• Build scalable, modular software using modern software design principles and hardware abstraction layers.
• Develop software that interfaces with production equipment and laboratory instrumentation including oscilloscopes, power supplies, digital multimeters, spectrometers, motion systems, and other automated test equipment.
• Design reliable automation workflows that initialize devices, execute test sequences, capture measurements, store production data, and reset systems for continuous manufacturing.
• Build and optimize manufacturing data pipelines that collect, validate, and store high‑volume test results within relational databases and manufacturing execution systems.
• Develop fault‑tolerant software with intelligent retry logic, exception handling, and recovery mechanisms to maximize production uptime.
• Troubleshoot software, instrumentation, communication, and hardware issues to quickly identify root cause during production.
• Improve manufacturing throughput by optimizing automated test sequences, reducing cycle times, and increasing test station efficiency.
• Participate in peer code reviews, maintain Git‑based development workflows, and contribute to high‑quality, maintainable software.
• Partner with cross‑functional engineering teams to support new product introductions (NPI), manufacturing improvements, and production scalability.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience (8+ years strongly preferred).
• Expert‑level Python programming experience developing production‑quality software.
• Hands‑on experience building software that interfaces directly with hardware, automated test equipment, or manufacturing systems.
• Experience developing manufacturing automation, production test software, robotics, industrial automation, semiconductor, automotive, electronics, or similar hardware‑focused applications.
• Strong understanding of object‑oriented programming, software architecture, and modular software design.
• Experience with relational databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, or SQLite, including SQL development and data management.
• Experience working within Linux/Unix environments and Git version control.
• Familiarity with hardware communication protocols including SCPI, PyVISA, Serial (RS-232/485), TCP/IP, Modbus, or similar.
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills across software, hardware, instrumentation, and manufacturing systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing automated manufacturing test systems for high‑volume production.
• Experience controlling multiple instruments within automated test environments.
• Knowledge of Docker, CI/CD pipelines, and modern DevOps practices.
• Experience with concurrent or multi‑threaded Python applications.
• Familiarity with Test‑Driven Development (TDD), software validation, or mocking frameworks.
• Exposure to LiDAR, robotics, optical systems, machine vision, computer vision, cameras, or advanced sensor technologies.
• Experience designing reliable production software with robust error handling, fault recovery, and high system availability.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate is a senior Python software engineer who has successfully developed automation software for hardware or manufacturing environments. You enjoy solving complex engineering problems, writing clean and maintainable code, integrating software with physical devices, and building reliable systems that operate in high‑volume production environments. If you’re passionate about developing software that directly impacts how advanced technology products are built, we’d love to hear from you.