Senior Hardware Test Engineer - Robotics Systems Validation

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

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