Senior Mechanical Validation & Test Engineer – Electro-Mechanical Systems

First Soft Solutions LLC; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

First Soft Solutions LLC in Sunnyvale, CA seeks an experienced electro-mechanical verification engineer to define methodologies and lead system-level verification. You will collaborate with research, architecture, and product design to run thermal, vibration, and mechanical stress tests, and develop scalable test fixtures and plans.

The role requires hands-on fixture design, GD&T, and data-driven reporting, with 8+ years in the field and strong Python automation skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a mechanical/related field and at least 8+ years in electro-mechanical engineering.
• Experience developing and executing mechanical validation and reliability test plans.
• Hands-on with test fixtures, measurement, and calibration.
• Proficiency in Python for automation and data analysis.
• Ability to interpret drawings, GD&T, and use metrology equipment.

Responsibilities

• Define mechanical verification methodologies with cross-functional teams.
• Conduct system-level verification tests: thermal, vibration, mechanical stress.
• Develop and maintain detailed test plans for modules and systems.
• Design scalable test infrastructure and fixtures.
• Track test coverage, defects, and resolutions.
• Own system-level verification execution, analysis, and reporting.
• Drive FMEA, tolerance analysis, Gauge R&R, and SPC with teams.
• Support bring-up, troubleshooting, and debugging.
• Analyze large datasets and communicate findings clearly.
• Manage external vendors for fixture development and data collection.

Skills

Test fixture design

Statistical methods

GD&T

Vibration/droptest

Data analysis

Test automation (Python)

Metrology knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Electro-Mechanical/Mechatronics or related field

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Python (test automation)

DAQ hardware

CMM / optical measurement systems

3D scanning

Data acquisition systems

Job description

• Define mechanical verification and validation methodologies in collaboration with research, architecture, and product design teams.
• Conduct thermal, vibration, mechanical stress, and other system-level verification tests.
• Develop, maintain, and track detailed test plans for individual modules and complete systems.
• Design and implement scalable test infrastructure and custom mechanical test fixtures.
• Track test coverage, identify defects, and document resolutions.
• Own system-level mechanical verification and validation execution, analysis, and reporting.
• Drive FMEA, failure analysis, tolerance analysis, Gauge R&R, and GD&T activities in collaboration with process, manufacturing, and reliability engineering teams.
• Support system bring-up, troubleshooting, and debugging.
• Analyze large datasets and communicate test results and findings clearly.
• Manage external vendors for test fixture development, testing, and data collection, ensuring compliance with requirements.
• Design, build, and qualify electro-mechanical test fixtures and rigs, including motorized stages, load and displacement fixtures, automated cycling testers, and vibration and drop-test setups.
• Implement machine I/O and control systems, including sensor and actuator wiring, stepper/servo motion control, microcontrollers, PLCs, and analog/digital interfaces.
• Apply statistical methods, including DOE, sample size and confidence analysis, Weibull reliability analysis, Gauge R&R, and SPC.
• Evaluate and specify capital test equipment, manage vendor evaluations and quotations, and oversee acceptance testing and commissioning.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers and technicians while improving test methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Define mechanical verification and validation methodologies in collaboration with research, architecture, and product design teams.
• Conduct thermal, vibration, mechanical stress, and other system-level verification tests.
• Develop, maintain, and track detailed test plans for individual modules and complete systems.
• Design and implement scalable test infrastructure and custom mechanical test fixtures.
• Track test coverage, identify defects, and document resolutions.
• Own system-level mechanical verification and validation execution, analysis, and reporting.
• Drive FMEA, failure analysis, tolerance analysis, Gauge R&R, and GD&T activities in collaboration with process, manufacturing, and reliability engineering teams.
• Support system bring-up, troubleshooting, and debugging.
• Analyze large datasets and communicate test results and findings clearly.
• Manage external vendors for test fixture development, testing, and data collection, ensuring compliance with requirements.
• Design, build, and qualify electro-mechanical test fixtures and rigs, including motorized stages, load and displacement fixtures, automated cycling testers, and vibration and drop-test setups.
• Implement machine I/O and control systems, including sensor and actuator wiring, stepper/servo motion control, microcontrollers, PLCs, and analog/digital interfaces.
• Apply statistical methods, including DOE, sample size and confidence analysis, Weibull reliability analysis, Gauge R&R, and SPC.
• Evaluate and specify capital test equipment, manage vendor evaluations and quotations, and oversee acceptance testing and commissioning.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers and technicians while improving test methodologies.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years of experience in electro-mechanical engineering, with demonstrated expertise in mechanical validation, verification, or reliability testing.
• Experience developing and executing mechanical validation and reliability test plans, including drop, vibration, fatigue/life cycling, environmental, HALT/HASS/ALT testing, and defined acceptance criteria.
• Hands-on experience designing and building test fixtures and instrumented rigs, including sensor selection, mounting, calibration, and measurement uncertainty assessment.
• Proficiency in Python for test automation, instrument control, and data analysis using NumPy, pandas, or equivalent tools.
• Experience with I/O and data acquisition systems, including analog/digital I/O, DAQ hardware, serial interfaces (SPI/I2C/UART/USB/Ethernet), sensor signal conditioning, and motion control.
• Ability to interpret mechanical drawings, apply GD&T, and use metrology and inspection equipment such as CMM, optical/vision measurement systems, and 3D scanning.
• Experience applying statistical methods to test design and interpretation, including DOE, sample size justification, Weibull analysis, and SPC.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field.
• Experience validating consumer electronics, particularly compact or highly integrated products.
• Knowledge of dynamic and environmental testing methods and applicable vibration, shock, transport, and environmental exposure standards.
• Experience with optical, non-contact, or full-field measurement techniques for displacement, deformation, or motion.
• Experience with force, pressure, and load distribution instrumentation.
• Familiarity with FEA and simulation-to-test correlation.
• Experience building automated test cells and supporting software infrastructure, including test frameworks, databases, and dashboards.
• Experience with capital equipment specification, vendor selection, and laboratory setup.
• Experience mentoring engineers and technicians and standardizing test methodologies across teams.
• Ability to develop Python-based automation for test control, data acquisition, and analysis, including reusable analysis pipelines and dashboards.

Work Requirements

• This is an onsite position in Sunnyvale, CA.
• Candidates must arrange their own transportation and be able to commute to the work location to meet the required working hours.