Senior Hardware Test Engineer - Components New Austin, TX

Apptronik; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company focused on AI-powered robots like Apollo. We seek a Senior Hardware Test Engineer to own design validation, reliability, and production test for PCBAs, wiring harnesses, sensors, and compute modules.

You will design test campaigns, fixtures, and test methods, collaborating with design, firmware, and manufacturing teams to scale tests into production. You will validate across electrical, thermal, and environmental conditions, develop pass/fail

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience validating electronic hardware (PCBAs, wiring harnesses, sensors, or compute modules).
• Experience with production test methods (ICT, flying probe, functional test) including fixture design and pass/fail criteria.
• Experience with HALT/HASS, defining stress profiles and harness tests; understanding field failure drivers.
• Strong debugging skills to root-cause failures using schematics and datasheets.
• Understanding of sensor physics (IMU, encoder, force/torque, camera, thermal).
• Preferred: stress compute platforms (clocks, voltage rails, thermals, memory/I-O) to find limits.
• Preferred: robotics, humanoid, or electromechanical systems experience.
• Preferred: transitioning test methods from R&D to production (NPI).
• Preferred: test automation (Python, LabVIEW) for data acquisition and automation.
• Preferred: DFT/DFM practices with design engineers.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute test campaigns to validate PCBAs, wiring harnesses, sensors, and compute modules across electrical, thermal, and environmental conditions.
• Design and run HALT to find design margins and failure modes, develop HASS screens for production, and define harness tests that capture field-failure drivers such as continuity, insulation, and connector retention.
• Characterize sensor modalities and compute parameters to assess accuracy, noise, drift, and environmental sensitivity, and stress compute parameters to find performance limits.
• Build fixtures and test automation, and diagnose failures down to the board, connector, or component level with actionable feedback to design.
• Develop test methods with defined pass/fail criteria and operator documentation, then transfer them to Manufacturing Test for production support.

Skills

Hardware validation

ICT & Flying probe

HALT/HASS testing

Root-cause debugging

Sensor physics

Compute stress testing

Robotics experience

RD to production (NPI)

Test automation

DFT/DFM

Education

BS in Electrical Engineering

Job description

Senior Hardware Test Engineer - Components

Austin, TX

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond. We operate at the cutting edge of Applied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking a Senior Hardware Test Engineer to own design validation, reliability, and production test for the electronic components behind Apptronik's robots: PCBAs, wiring harnesses, sensors, and compute modules. You will design and run test campaigns including HALT/HASS, define test methods and fixture requirements (ICT, flying probe, functional test) and work with fixture designers to get them built, and root-cause failures down to the board, connector, or component level. You will work closely with design, firmware, and manufacturing teams, and hand off validated test processes to the Manufacturing Test team as programs scale into production.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Component Validation Testing: Plan and execute test campaigns to validate PCBAs, wiring harnesses, sensors, and compute modules against specs across electrical, thermal, and environmental conditions.
• HALT/HASS & Harness Reliability: Design and run HALT to find design margins and failure modes, develop HASS screens for production, and define harness tests that capture field-failure drivers such as continuity, insulation and contact resistance, connector retention, and flex and strain relief.
• Sensor & Compute Characterization: Apply an understanding of each sensor modality's physics (e.g., IMU, encoder, force/torque, camera, thermal) to characterize accuracy, noise, drift, and environmental sensitivity, and stress key compute parameters (clocks, voltage rails, thermals, memory and I/O load) to find performance limits.
• Test Automation, Fixtures & Root-Cause Analysis: Build fixtures and test automation, and diagnose failures down to the board, connector, or component level with actionable feedback to design.
• Production Test Handoff: Develop test methods with defined pass/fail criteria and operator documentation, then transfer them to the Manufacturing Test team to support incoming inspection and production testing.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Hands-on experience validating electronic hardware (PCBAs, wiring harnesses, sensors, or compute modules) using bench equipment such as oscilloscopes, power supplies, and DAQ systems.
• Experience with production test methods such as in-circuit test (ICT), flying probe, and functional test, including designing fixtures (e.g., bed-of-nails) and defining pass/fail criteria and handoff documentation.
• Experience with HALT/HASS, including defining stress profiles and interpreting failure modes, plus knowledge of what drives harness field failures (contact resistance, connector retention, flex fatigue).
• Strong debugging skills to root-cause failures to the board, connector, or component level using schematics, harness drawings, and datasheets.
• Understanding of sensor physics (e.g., IMU, encoder, force/torque, camera, thermal) sufficient to characterize accuracy, noise, drift, and environmental sensitivity.
• Preferred: Experience stressing compute platforms (clocks, voltage rails, thermals, memory and I/O load) to find performance limits and failure modes.
• Preferred: Experience with robotics, humanoid, or other electromechanical systems, including actuator or motor-driven hardware.
• Preferred: Experience transitioning test methods from R&D into production or manufacturing environments, including NPI.
• Preferred: Test automation experience (e.g., Python, LabVIEW, or similar) for data acquisition, analysis, and automated test sequencing.
• Preferred: Familiarity with DFT (design for test) and DFM practices, including working with design engineers to add test points and improve testability.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field + 6 years of relevant experience, OR MS in a related field + 4 years, OR PhD in a related field + 2 years.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
• Hearing and speech to communicate

*This is a direct hire. Please, no outside Agency solicitations.

Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.