Manufacturing Test Engineer

Job Title: Manufacturing Test Engineer

Location: Onsite 100% - North Reading, MA

Placement Type: 26 Weeks to Start

Job Description

The Manufacturing Test Engineer will define and drive the test strategy across a product line, transitioning from prototype builds to high-volume manufacturing. This senior technical leadership role involves owning the test architecture from concept through volume, setting standards and frameworks, and building organizational capabilities to execute complex test operations at scale. The ideal candidate will bridge the gap between validation and production, ensuring the test infrastructure evolves with the product and production system.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the end-to-end manufacturing test strategy across build iterations from prototype to volume production.

• Influence product architecture, interface design, and tolerance strategy to improve testability.

• Establish test frameworks, standards, and decision criteria that guide the broader engineering team.

• Partner with Engineering, Validation, and Quality leadership to align V&V requirements with production test capability.

• Architect the test data strategy to enable real-time production visibility and closed-loop design feedback.

• Design and deploy manufacturing test systems for medium-to-high throughput and operator execution.

• Create operator-friendly test setups with intuitive UIs and guided error recovery.

• Specify and procure test instrumentation, making strategic build-vs-buy decisions.

• Scale test solutions from single-station to multi-station, operator-run setups.

• Analyze test data to drive quality and design improvements, identifying trends and correlating failures to root causes.

• Develop the team's test engineering capabilities and mentor engineers.

• Shape the test engineering culture with a focus on technical rigor, data discipline, and operational excellence.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent.

• 10+ years of manufacturing test engineering experience for electromechanical or robotic products.

• Experience owning manufacturing test strategy from concept through volume production.

• Hands-on experience with in-line and end-of-line functional test systems.

• Proficiency in test software/frameworks like LabVIEW, NI TestStand, and Python-based test automation.

• Demonstrated ability to create clarity from ambiguity in test strategy and frameworks.

• Ability to influence senior-level stakeholders across engineering, validation, quality, and manufacturing.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience scaling electromechanical or robotic products from NPI/prototype builds into repeatable manufacturing test processes.

• Strong hands-on background with DAQ/instrumentation and test development.

• Experience with test data pipelines and data collection.

• Familiarity with communication interfaces like CAN, EtherCAT, SPI, UART.

• HIL experience is preferred but not required for candidates with strong EOL or in-line manufacturing test experience.

Work Environment

This role requires on-site presence five days per week, with typical working hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Extended hours may occasionally be required during prototype builds, production line bring-up, or critical testing periods. No regular night shift or on-call schedule is expected. Parking is available, and candidates must be local or willing to relocate at their own expense.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of North Reading, MA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $90.00 - $95.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: - Medical, dental & vision - Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital - 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available - Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) - Short and long-term disability - Health Spending Account (HSA) - Transportation benefits - Employee Assistance Program - Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in North Reading,MA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 25, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.