Reliability Engineer, Hardware

Meta; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 173,000 - 245,000; Full time

Job summary

Meta is seeking a Reliability Engineer to drive the quality, durability, and long-term reliability of Meta's hardware products, including VR headsets, AR glasses, and wearables. You will own reliability activities from development to mass production, partnering with mechanical, electrical, and systems teams to identify failure modes.

You will define and execute reliability plans, analyze field data, lead root-cause investigations, and track KPIs like MTBF and field return rates, informing

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS/CE or equivalent practical experience.
• 6+ years hardware reliability engineering in consumer electronics or similar.
• Experience designing/executing accelerated life tests and environmental stress tests.
• Experience FMEA/FTA and root-cause analysis on hardware systems.
• Experience analyzing reliability data and field return metrics.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute reliability test plans for consumer hardware products (VR/AR/wearables).
• Conduct FMEA and FTA to identify and mitigate reliability risks across subsystems.
• Analyze field return data and warranty metrics to drive corrective actions.
• Lead root cause investigations for reliability escapes across design, materials, or manufacturing.
• Define and track reliability KPIs (MTBF, failure rate, field return rate) and report to stakeholders.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering to improve durability and serviceability.
• Coordinate with contract manufacturers to establish reliability requirements and validate corrective actions.
• Develop reliability models and life-prediction analyses to support design decisions.

Skills

Reliability engineering

FMEA

FTA

Root cause analysis

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/Computer Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Weibull analysis

Reliability modeling

Accelerated life testing

Environmental stress screening

Job description

Meta is seeking a Reliability Engineer to drive the quality, durability, and long-term reliability of consumer hardware products across Meta's device portfolio, including virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses, and wearable devices. In this role, you will own independently reliability engineering activities spanning product development through mass production, partnering with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering teams to identify failure modes, define reliability requirements, and ensure Meta's hardware products meet the highest standards of durability and field performance.

Reliability Engineer, Hardware Responsibilities

• Define and execute reliability test plans for consumer hardware products, including VR headsets, AR glasses, and wearable devices, covering accelerated life testing, environmental stress screening, and mechanical durability validation
• Conduct failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and fault tree analysis (FTA) to proactively identify and mitigate reliability risks across hardware subsystems
• Analyze field return data, warranty claims, and reliability metrics to identify top failure drivers and translate findings into actionable engineering corrective actions
• Lead root cause analysis investigations for reliability escapes, distinguishing between design, material, manufacturing process, and use-condition contributors
• Define and track reliability KPIs, including MTBF, failure rate, and field return rate, to produce regular reporting to inform product and engineering decisions
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering teams to influence design decisions that improve product durability and serviceability
• Partner with contract manufacturers and suppliers to establish reliability requirements, audit test capabilities, and validate corrective actions at the component and system level
• Develop and maintain reliability models and life prediction analyses to support product design decisions and reliability growth planning
• Develop reliability requirements documentation, test specifications, and design verification plans aligned to product development milestones
• Engage cross-functional stakeholders, including product management, quality, and operations, to communicate the reliability status, risks, and influence business decisions
• International travel, up to 20%

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, a relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience
• 6+ years of experience in hardware reliability engineering for consumer electronics, wearable devices, or similar electro-mechanical products
• Experience in designing and executing accelerated life tests, environmental stress tests, and mechanical durability validation for consumer hardware products
• Experience performing failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), fault tree analysis (FTA), and root cause analysis on hardware systems
• Experience analyzing reliability data and field return metrics to identify failure trends and drive engineering corrective actions
• Experience collaborating with mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing engineering teams to influence product design for reliability and durability
• Ability to proactively drive decisions involving dependencies across multiple teams or functions

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with reliability engineering for VR, AR, or wearable device product lines, including knowledge of display, optics, battery, and sensor subsystem failure modes
• Familiarity with reliability growth modeling, Weibull analysis, and statistical reliability prediction methods applied to consumer hardware products
• Demonstrated use of AI tools to redesign reliability data analysis workflows, accelerate failure pattern identification, or improve reporting efficiency
• Experience working with contract manufacturers and component suppliers to define reliability requirements and validate corrective actions at scale

About Meta

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.

Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Truthful Hiring employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.

Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at [e-mail].

$173,000/year to $245,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits

Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.