Senior SSD Reliability Engineer - Contract

SK hynix memory solutions America Inc.; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunities for innovation

Collaboration with cross-functional teams

Strong commitment to sustainability

Job summary

A leading semiconductor company in San Jose seeks a Senior SSD Reliability Engineer to join their team. The role requires developing and executing test plans to ensure the quality and performance of enterprise SSD products. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, 5+ years in QA testing, and experience with automation tools. The position involves collaboration across teams to analyze results and resolve defects, making it essential for candidates to possess strong communication skills and a problem-solving mindset.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in QA testing and test automation.
• Demonstrated ability to independently drive validation cycles.
• Proficiency in scripting/programming languages: Python, Java, C/C++.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain test plans, cases, and reports.
• Design and maintain automated test scripts for SSD validation.
• Analyze test results and track issues using JIRA.
• Collaborate with NAND, FW, SoC, and validation teams to resolve issues.
• Log defects in JIRA and track resolution through to completion.
• Enhance automation frameworks and test coverage with new tech like AI.
• Lead deep-dive root-cause analysis for complex failures with cross-functional teams.
• Stay updated on SSD tech, protocols, and industry test methods.

Skills

QA testing

Test automation

Communication

Root-cause analysis

Collaboration

QA testing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering

Tools

Python

Java

C++

JIRA

Job description

Senior SSD Reliability Engineer - Contract

San Jose

At SK Hynix Memory Solution,we're at the forefront of semiconductor innovation, developing advanced memory solutions that power everything from smartphones to data centers. As a global leader in DRAM and NAND flash technologies, we drive the evolution of advancing mobile technology, empowering cloud computing, and pioneering future technologies. Our cutting‑edge memory technologies are essential in today's most advanced electronic devices and IT infrastructure, enabling enhanced performance and user experiences across the digital landscape.

We're looking for innovative minds to join our mission of shaping the future of technology. At SK Hynix Memory, you'll be part of a team that's pioneering breakthrough memory solutions while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability. We're not just adapting to technological change – we're driving it, with significant investments in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and eco‑friendly solutions and operational practices. As we continue to expand our market presence and push the boundaries of what's possible in semiconductor technology, we invite you to be part of our journey to creating the next generation of memory solutions that will define the future of computing.

About the Team

SK HMS Systems engineering / Quality assurance group is looking for a motivated individual to join our reliability testing team.

Job Description

SK Hynix Memory Solutions has a key design center in San Jose with focus on enterprise datacenter SSD development. The Reliability System Engineering team is seeking a talented and detail‑oriented test engineer to join us and help ensure our products meet the highest standards of quality, performance, and reliability.

As a test engineer, you will help design, develop, automate, and execute test plans to validate the functionality, endurance, and reliability of our enterprise data center SSD products. You will work closely with other functional development teams to identify, reproduce, and resolve defects during the development lifecycle. Your work will directly impact product quality and customer satisfaction.

Internally, we are always looking to innovate and enhance our test coverage and automation capabilities, using various new technologies like generative AI. As a member of the team, you will also have opportunities to contribute to these investigative and development efforts to design and develop new automation platforms and test coverage systems.

A successful candidate should be self‑driven, innovative, able to communicate clearly, and must work well in a collaborative team environment.

Responsibilities and Tasks

• Develop and maintain test plans, test cases, and test reports based on product requirements and industry standards (e.g., JEDEC, OCP, NVMe, PCIe).
• Design, develop, and maintain automated test scripts and frameworks for SSD validation (using Python, Java, and C++).
• Execute functional, endurance, and stress tests on SSDs to maximize test coverage.
• Partner with our NAND, FW, SoC, and other validation teams to work issues to swift and effective solutions.
• Analyze test results, log defects, and track issues through resolution using JIRA.
• Maintain and enhance existing automation frameworks and test coverage capabilities with modern innovative solutions.
• Lead deep‑dive root‑cause analysis for complex, intermittent system‑level failures, driving cross‑functional tiger teams to identify architectural or firmware fixes.
• Stay up to date with emerging SSD technologies, protocols, and industry test methodologies.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of hands‑on experience in QA testing and test automation, specifically focusing on SSDs, enterprise storage devices, data servers, or embedded systems.
• Demonstrated ability to independently drive end‑to‑end validation cycles from early firmware stages through mass production with minimal oversight.
• Proficiency in scripting/programming languages: Python (preferred), Java, C/C++.
• Demonstrated experience in root‑cause analysis (RCA) for complex failure modes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with enterprise or data center SSDs.
• Strong understanding of SSD architecture, NVMe/SATA protocols, and storage interfaces.
• Familiarity with storage test methodology (such as RDT and design margin testing).
• Understanding of reliability concepts such as life models, AFR and MTBF.
• Experience working with volume SSD test system such as Flexstar, Neosem, Advantest, or UniTest equipment.
• Advanced hands‑on experience with hardware protocol analyzers (e.g., Teledyne LeCroy) for debugging PCIe/NVMe link‑level and bus‑state issues.
• Knowledge of JEDEC, NVMe, OCP, or other storage industry standards.
• Experience with statistics analysis applications such as JMP for data analysis.
• Experience with utilizing reinforcement learning and generative AI for test development and data analysis.
• Experience with joint qualification process for enterprise customers.
• Previous track record working as a contractor or senior consultant, capable of rapidly onboarding and accelerating project delivery in a fast‑paced environment.

Voluntary Self‑Identification & EEO Statement

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self‑identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in SK hynix memory solutions America Inc.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

• “A disabled veteran” is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability.
• “A recently separated veteran” means any veteran during the three‑year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.
• “An active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran” means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.
• “An Armed forces service medal veteran” means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

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Additional Disabling Condition Information

Disabilities include, but are not limited to: alcoholism or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally); autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS; blindness or low vision; cancer (past or present); cardiovascular or heart disease; celiac disease; cerebral palsy; deaf or serious difficulty hearing; diabetes; disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders; epilepsy or other seizure disorder; gastrointestinal disorders such as Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome; intellectual or developmental disability; mental health conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD; missing limbs or partially missing limbs; mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports; nervous system condition such as migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS); neurodivergence such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities; partial or complete paralysis (any cause); pulmonary or respiratory conditions such as tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema; short stature (dwarfism); traumatic brain injury.