Quality Assurance Engineer

Firmware Quality Engineer (SDET)Location: Beaverton, OR (Hybrid - 4 days onsite/week) Duration: 12+ Months Contract (Possibility of Extension)Who We're Looking ForWe're seeking a Firmware Quality Engineer (SDET) to build the quality infrastructure behind a unique hardware product's firmware, controls, and connected software ecosystem. This role focuses on creating the automated systems, tooling, and validation frameworks that help engineering teams move quickly while maintaining a high bar for reliability, performance, and release readiness.The ideal candidate is a builder first. You enjoy writing code, automating repetitive work, and creating scalable test systems that increase confidence across the development lifecycle. You're equally comfortable debugging embedded systems, investigating complex failures, building hardware-in-the-loop infrastructure, and partnering with engineers to improve quality at the source.You thrive in ambiguity and are energized by creating processes, tools, and workflows where none yet exist. You know that quality is not something that happens at the end of development. It's something that is engineered into every stage of the product lifecycle.What You Will Work OnBuild and maintain automated validation frameworks for firmware, controls, and connected servicesDevelop test infrastructure, tooling, and pipelines that improve release confidence and engineering velocityDesign and implement Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and system-level automated test environmentsCreate automated regression suites for embedded systems and hardware-software interactionsDevelop internal tools that improve testing efficiency, diagnostics, observability, and engineering productivityInvestigate complex system failures using logs, telemetry, source code, and hardware debugging techniquesPerform root cause analysis and work cross-functionally to drive issues through resolutionPartner with firmware and controls engineers to improve testability, reliability, and quality throughout developmentDefine release readiness criteria, quality gates, and validation processes that support frequent firmware releasesCreate clear validation documentation, test plans, quality metrics, and reporting mechanismsEstablish scalable quality processes capable of supporting future product generationsLeverage AI tools to accelerate automation, debugging, analysis, and engineering workflowsWho You Will Work WithYou'll collaborate closely with firmware, controls, software, hardware, QA, product, and program teams responsible for developing the product. You'll partner with engineers across embedded systems, electrical engineering, mobile applications, and cloud services to help establish a culture where quality is built into the product from the start.You'll also work with external development partners and testing resources to ensure consistent validation approaches across the broader product ecosystem.What You BringBachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education, experience, or training5+ years of experience as an SDET, firmware quality engineer, embedded software engineer, or related roleStrong programming skills in Python and experience developing production-quality automation toolingExperience building automated test frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, and validation infrastructureExperience validating embedded systems, robotics, mechatronics products, wearables, or connected devicesStrong understanding of firmware development workflows, source control, code reviews, CI systems, and release processesExperience investigating complex system behavior through logs, telemetry, debugging tools, and root cause analysisExperience creating test strategies, validation plans, and release qualification processesExceptional written communication and documentation skillsBuilder mindset with ability to create new tools and processes in ambiguous environmentsHighly self-motivated, action-oriented, and comfortable operating in startup-style product development environmentsComfortable working across firmware, controls, hardware, backend, and QA disciplinesPreferred ExperienceRobotics, exoskeletons, autonomous systems, industrial automation, or mechatronicsHardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing environmentsSensor fusion, controls systems, motion systems, or real-time softwareBLE communication, mobile-device interactions, and OTA firmware updatesExperience with GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or similar CI/CD platformsMATLAB, CAN tools, embedded diagnostics, or hardware debugging toolsStartup, R&D, incubation, or 0?1 product development environmentsExperience using modern AI-enabled engineering workflows and toolsFeel free to forward my email to your friends/colleagues who might be available. We do offer a referral bonus! Thank you for your time and consideration. I am looking forward to hearing from you.