Senior System Test & Validation Engineer

tacareers-waters; New Castle (DE); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Waters Corporation is seeking a System Validation Engineer to own end-to-end testing for Waters platforms, ensuring robust software and hardware integration from firmware to web interfaces.

The role focuses on system-level quality, developing automated tests in Python, and collaborating with firmware, hardware, software, and manufacturing teams to deliver reliable, production-ready instruments.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in system testing, validation, or quality engineering for complex products.
• Hands-on experience with Linux-based systems, embedded platforms, or IoT devices.
• Proven ability to validate end-to-end systems spanning hardware and software.
• Experience with test automation and scripting (Python strongly preferred).
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills across hardware–software boundaries.
• Comfort working in a lab environment with physical devices or instruments.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute system-level test strategies for Linux-based IoT and connected instrument platforms
• Validate end-to-end workflows across device firmware, edge services, backend APIs, and web UI
• Perform functional, integration, regression, performance, and reliability testing
• Test system behavior under real-world conditions (network latency, device failures, power cycling, upgrades, stress scenarios)
• Test instrument bring-up, initialization, calibration, and recovery across firmware updates and fault conditions
• Validate operation under environmental and operational stress (temperature, vibration, long-duration runs)
• Lead and support cross-disciplinary root cause analysis involving software, firmware, electronics, and mechanical subsystems
• Use logs, telemetry, and lab tools to diagnose complex system issues

Skills

System testing

Python scripting

Linux

Troubleshooting

Hardware–Software integration

Lab environments

Tools

Linux

Docker

CI/CD

Python

Telemetry tools

Job description

Overview

Why This Role Matters We build complex, connected scientific instruments that combine embedded software, Linux-based platforms, cloud services, and web applications. This role sits at the system level—where real-world device behavior meets software quality and ensures our platforms are robust, reliable, and ready for production and field use. You’ll own system-level validation across hardware, firmware, backend services, and web interfaces, working closely with product, firmware, software, and manufacturing teams.

Typical tasks of the position include, but are not limited to

What You’ll Do

System-Level Testing & Validation

• Design and execute system-level test strategies for Linux-based IoT and connected instrument platforms
• Validate end-to-end workflows across device firmware, edge services, backend APIs, and web UI
• Perform functional, integration, regression, performance, and reliability testing
• Test system behavior under real-world conditions (network latency, device failures, power cycling, upgrades, stress scenarios)

Hardware–Software Integration

• Test instrument bring-up, initialization, calibration, and recovery across firmware updates and fault conditions
• Validate operation under environmental and operational stress (temperature, vibration, long-duration runs)
• Lead and support cross-disciplinary root cause analysis involving software, firmware, electronics, and mechanical subsystems
• Use logs, telemetry, and lab tools (e.g., multimeter, oscilloscope, logic analyzer) to diagnose complex system issues

Automation & CI/CD (System Focus)

• Develop and maintain automated tests at the system, API, and web layers (Python preferred)
• Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines to support continuous quality and release readiness
• Collaborate with DevOps and development teams on build verification, deployment validation, and pre-production testing

Manufacturing & Field Support (Collaboration-Oriented)

• Support manufacturing and service teams by validating system-level test coverage and diagnostics
• Reproduce field and manufacturing issues in lab environments and help drive corrective actions

The successful candidate will have a combination of knowledge, skills, and experience that would include the following

What We’re Looking For (Must‑Have)

• 5+ years of experience in system testing, validation, or quality engineering for complex products
• Hands‑on experience with Linux-based systems, embedded platforms, or IoT devices
• Proven ability to validate end-to-end systems spanning hardware and software
• Experience with test automation and scripting (Python strongly preferred)
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills across hardware–software boundaries
• Comfort working in a lab environment with physical devices or instruments

Strong Plus (Not Required)

• Experience testing web applications, APIs, and backend services
• CI/CD pipeline integration (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps)
• Docker or containerized deployments
• Exposure to cloud-connected systems (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Performance, reliability, or long-duration system testing
• Observability tools (logs, metrics, traces)

What You’ll Get

• Ownership of system-level quality for a real‑world, high‑impact product
• Close collaboration with firmware, hardware, software, and product teams
• A role where testing is proactive and influential, not reactive
• Clear growth path toward senior system or principal-level engineering roles

Company Description

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT)is a global leader in life sciences and diagnostics, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, our innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across chemistry, physics, and biology. We collaborate with customers around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, ensure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combating antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, our passionate team of ~16,000 colleagues turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide.

Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our core values at Waters Corporation. It benefits our employees, our products, our customers and our community. Waters complies with all applicable federal, state,and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status,or any other characteristic protected by law. Waters is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All hiring decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.