Systems Test Engineer

Systems Test Engineer

The Systems Test Engineer independently plans and executes verification and validation activities for complex nuclear digital instrumentation and control systems. This role ensures that safety-related hardware, software, and firmware meet stringent nuclear industry requirements by performing rigorous requirements analysis, test planning, test execution, and documentation review. The engineer collaborates closely with multidisciplinary teams, supports customer-facing factory acceptance testing, and provides technical leadership and mentoring within a highly regulated, quality-focused environment.

Responsibilities

• Perform independent verification and validation activities for nuclear digital I&C systems, including requirements analysis, design evaluation, interface analysis, traceability analysis, and review of test evidence.
• Develop system-level V&V test requirements to confirm that products meet system, software, hardware, and performance specifications.
• Create IV&V test plans, detailed test procedures, testware, test reports, traceability matrices, and all supporting documentation in accordance with formal quality processes.
• Perform, witness, and evaluate component, subsystem, system-level, factory acceptance (FAT), and regression tests, ensuring thorough and accurate execution.
• Evaluate test results, identify anomalies, document findings clearly, and support the technical disposition and resolution of issues.
• Review and assess source code documentation, FPGA/PLD documentation, firmware documentation, embedded software behavior, release documentation, and associated verification evidence as applicable.
• Participate in technical and baseline reviews of requirements, design documents, interface documents, software release documentation, test plans, test procedures, and test reports.
• Perform or support FMEA, hazard analysis, cybersecurity vulnerability assessments, safety analysis, traceability analysis, and security analysis for digital I&C systems.
• Support the development and evaluation of simulators, test setups, test tools, automated test equipment, and manufacturing test procedures to improve test coverage and efficiency.
• Drive compliance with internal and industry-based system and software lifecycle processes, ensuring adherence to applicable nuclear and engineering standards.
• Support documentation, analysis, and resolution of conditions adverse to quality through the corrective action program, including root cause evaluation and implementation of corrective actions.
• Support customer-facing factory acceptance test execution, including managing technical issues, completing test records, and communicating results clearly and professionally.
• Contribute to project scoping, scheduling, bidding, resource planning, and execution planning for IV&V and FAT work, providing realistic technical input and estimates.
• Provide technical guidance, mentoring, and training to less experienced engineers and test personnel, including support for technical onboarding and development of training materials.
• Work cross-functionally with systems engineering, software, hardware, FPGA, project management, quality, manufacturing, suppliers, customers, and lab technicians to resolve technical issues and ensure cohesive project execution.
• Own the full requirements-to-evidence verification lifecycle, from initial requirements review through final verification documentation.
• Identify unverifiable, ambiguous, incomplete, or technically weak requirements early in the lifecycle and drive clarification before test execution.
• Challenge design and test assumptions constructively to improve system robustness and test effectiveness.
• Define appropriate regression test scope following design, software, firmware, or configuration changes.
• Support customer-facing FATs calmly and credibly, maintaining technical composure under schedule pressure.
• Create technical order and structure in schedule-pressured or ambiguous project environments.
• Recognize technically questionable test results even when procedure steps appear to pass, and initiate appropriate follow-up.
• Communicate technical issues and risks clearly, avoiding unnecessary escalation or churn while ensuring stakeholders remain informed.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience in verification, validation, testing, design, systems engineering, nuclear I&C, embedded systems, or closely related technical work.
• Experience developing, executing, or evaluating test plans, test procedures, test reports, or requirements-based verification evidence.
• Experience with digital I&C systems, embedded systems, software-controlled hardware, or complex control systems; FPGA/PLD-based system experience may count toward this requirement.
• Demonstrated experience performing requirements analysis and establishing requirements-to-test traceability.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing technical requirements, design documentation, interface documentation, and software or hardware release documentation.
• Proven ability to evaluate test results, identify anomalies, document issues clearly, and support effective issue resolution.
• Strong technical writing skills, including authoring test procedures, test reports, technical evaluations, issue summaries, and review comments.
• Ability to work within formal quality processes, configuration control expectations, and controlled engineering documentation environments.
• Ability to work independently while recognizing when to escalate technical, quality, schedule, or configuration concerns.
• Hands-on experience with software testing, validation, and verification for digital, software, and hardware systems.
• Experience with requirements-based testing and structured test planning and execution.
• Experience developing test procedures and test reports for system, subsystem, component, FAT, and regression testing.
• Familiarity with digital I&C systems, embedded control systems, or software-controlled hardware architectures.
• Experience participating in interface analysis and design reviews, including providing and resolving technical review comments.
• Comfort working with document management and configuration-controlled documentation.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in nuclear I&C, digital controls, embedded systems, IV&V, FAT, or safety-related system testing.
• Experience with nuclear I&C products such as NUMAC, RCMS, RC&IS, PRNM, ATIP, DSS-CD, SRNM, WRNM, or similar platforms.
• Experience as a System IV&V Engineer, Responsible Engineer, Lead Test Engineer, or FAT lead on complex technical projects.
• Experience supporting nuclear customers, nuclear plant modifications, or nuclear supplier product delivery activities.
• Experience reviewing or testing FPGA/PLD designs, including code review, simulation, testing, and report generation.
• Experience with embedded processors such as Intel, ARM, DSPs, microcontrollers, or similar platforms.
• Experience with PCB-level design review, component selection, signal interfaces, power supplies, communication interfaces, or hardware troubleshooting.
• Experience developing or using test simulators, test tools, automated test equipment, manufacturing test procedures, LabVIEW, or similar automated test platforms.
• Experience performing or supporting FMEA, hazard analysis, cybersecurity vulnerability assessments, safety analysis, security analysis, or requirements traceability analysis.
• Familiarity with nuclear industry standards and guidance such as IEEE, IEC, EPRI, NRC, CNSC, CSA, or similar frameworks.
• Experience supporting project scoping, scheduling, proposal development, bid support, or resource planning for engineering projects.
• Experience mentoring engineers, developing training materials, or leading technical onboarding programs.
• Experience with corrective action programs, root cause evaluation, documentation of conditions adverse to quality, and quality issue resolution.
• Prior nuclear site experience as a reactor operator, I&C technician, system engineer, maintenance engineer, or commissioning/startup engineer.
• Prior experience with a nuclear supplier providing I&C equipment or safety-related digital control systems.
• Ability to own the full requirements-to-evidence verification lifecycle and drive closure on verification activities.
• Ability to identify unverifiable or ambiguous requirements and work with stakeholders to improve requirement quality.
• Ability to challenge design and test assumptions constructively and to define appropriate regression test scope following changes.
• Calm and credible presence in customer-facing FAT environments and under schedule pressure.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical issues clearly and avoid unnecessary escalation.

Work Environment

This role operates in a highly regulated nuclear engineering environment focused on safety-related digital instrumentation and control systems. Work typically takes place in an office and laboratory setting that emphasizes formal quality processes, configuration control, and rigorous documentation practices. You will collaborate closely with systems, software, hardware, FPGA, quality, manufacturing, project management, suppliers, and customers, and will regularly interact with test labs, simulators, and automated test equipment. The position involves extensive use of engineering documentation systems, test tools, and potentially platforms such as LabVIEW or similar automated test environments. Work hours generally follow standard business schedules, with periods of increased intensity during factory acceptance