Sr. Director, Validation Test Engineering

Flex; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Flex in Austin, TX seeks a Sr. Director, Validation Test Engineering to establish SpinCo’s validation capability for data center platforms.

You will define validation strategies, test plans, and lab capabilities while leading a hands-on team responsible for test data infrastructure. This role requires extensive experience with power, cooling, controls, and high-reliability hardware, and a proven ability to move products from prototype to production readiness through close collaboration with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years of validation, test engineering, systems engineering, product qualification, or reliability engineering experience.
• Experience validating complex electromechanical systems, power systems, cooling systems, controls, data center infrastructure, or high-reliability hardware platforms.
• Strong knowledge of DVT, reliability testing, test automation, instrumentation, data acquisition, certification testing, root-cause analysis, and development lifecycle gates.
• Experience standing up lab capabilities, test infrastructure, or product development facilities.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with manufacturing, quality, engineering, and customers to move products from prototype to production readiness.
• Hands-on test design and execution background, having built test setups, instrumentation, and data pipelines yourself rather than only overseeing them.

Responsibilities

• Define validation strategies, test plans, test standards, and acceptance criteria for advanced power, advanced cooling, control systems, and integrated platform offerings.
• Stand up and operate test and characterization labs required to validate rack-level, pod-level, and platform-level performance and reliability.
• Gate products through development lifecycle milestones from concept to design/development, validation, production introduction, and release.
• Drive design verification testing, reliability testing, automated testing, regression testing, certification planning, and design-for-test requirements.
• Partner with manufacturing, quality, and BUs on production-readiness reviews, first-article inspections, ramp readiness, and factory test alignment.
• Build test data infrastructure that feeds back into design, predictive maintenance models, digital twins, qualification data, and complex controls systems.
• Engage directly with customers and partners to understand performance, reliability, interoperability, and qualification requirements for AI data center infrastructure.

Skills

Validation strategy

Test plan development

Lab setup / test infrastructure

Leadership

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical/Systems/Computer Engineering or related

Tools

Test automation tools

Data acquisition systems

Certification testing

Job description

Flex is the diversified manufacturing partner of choice that helps market-leading brands design, build and deliver innovative products that improve the world. A career at Flex offers the opportunity to make a difference and invest in your growth in a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative environment. If you are excited about a role but don't meet every bullet point, we encourage you to apply and join us to create the extraordinary.
Flex intends to spin off its Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment into a new, independent publicly traded company, which we’re calling SpinCo, until the name is unveiled. The spin is planned for Q1 2027. If the intended spin occurs, this role will support SpinCo, which will focus on critical digital infrastructure, delivering end-to-end power and thermal management solutions for AI data centers and other mission-critical applications.
To support our extraordinary teams who build great products and contribute to our growth, we’re looking to add a Sr. Director, Validation Test Engineering located in Austin, TX.
Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, the Sr. Director, Validation Test Engineering will establish and lead the OCTO validation, characterization, and qualification capability for SpinCo’s integrated data center platforms. This role will define validation strategies, test plans, acceptance criteria, lab capabilities, test data infrastructure, and development lifecycle gates for advanced power, advanced cooling, controls, and integrated platform products. The role ensures SpinCo ships integrated systems that work reliably at the rack, pod, and data-center levels.
This is a hands-on technical leadership role. You will be active in your own deliverables, personally shaping test strategies, test plans, and acceptance criteria, digging into test data, and standing up lab and test capability rather than only directing others to do so. We are looking for a leader who sets the technical bar by engaging directly in validation and data, and who is measured by the reliability of what we ship.

What a typical day looks like:

• Define validation strategies, test plans, test standards, and acceptance criteria for advanced power, advanced cooling, control systems, and integrated platform offerings.
• Stand up and operate test and characterization labs required to validate rack-level, pod-level, and platform-level performance and reliability.
• Gate products through development lifecycle milestones from concept to design/development, validation, production introduction, and release.
• Drive design verification testing, reliability testing, automated testing, regression testing, certification planning, and design-for-test requirements.
• Partner with manufacturing, quality, and BUs on production-readiness reviews, first-article inspections, ramp readiness, and factory test alignment.
• Build test data infrastructure that feeds back into design, predictive maintenance models, digital twins, qualification data, and complex controls systems.
• Engage directly with customers and partners to understand performance, reliability, interoperability, and qualification requirements for AI data center infrastructure.

The experience we’re looking to add to our team:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years of validation, test engineering, systems engineering, product qualification, or reliability engineering experience.
• Experience validating complex electromechanical systems, power systems, cooling systems, controls, data center infrastructure, or high-reliability hardware platforms.
• Strong knowledge of DVT, reliability testing, test automation, instrumentation, data acquisition, certification testing, root-cause analysis, and development lifecycle gates.
• Experience standing up lab capabilities, test infrastructure, or product development facilities.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with manufacturing, quality, engineering, and customers to move products from prototype to production readiness.
• Hands-on test design and execution background, having built test setups, instrumentation, and data pipelines yourself rather than only overseeing them.

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Flex is an Equal Opportunity Employer and employment selection decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. We do not discriminate based on: age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, pregnancy status, or any other status protected by law. We're happy to provide reasonable accommodations to those with a disability for assistance in the application process. Please email [e-mail] and we'll discuss your specific situation and next steps (NOTE: this email does not accept or consider resumes or applications. This is only for disability assistance. To be considered for a position at Flex, you must complete the application process first).