Test Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Test Engineer Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Test Engineer to join a growing engineering team focused on power electronics products. In this role, you will design, develop, and execute electrical and mechanical test procedures, build and maintain test systems and fixtures, and support development engineering, validation, and production testing activities. After training and becoming familiar with the product portfolio and processes, you will play an integral role in new product development, engineering and manufacturing automation, customer support, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Develop and execute detailed test procedures for mechanical and electrical components, including production and validation testing.
• Design and build PCB test fixtures and industrial test systems for power electronics products and high-voltage systems.
• Perform testing of power electronics products, including PCB assemblies, inverter components, inverter controls, and cooling systems (air and liquid).
• Select appropriate wire sizes and components based on ampacity and voltage requirements and create electrical wiring diagrams.
• Utilize oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, power supplies, DAQ systems, and high-voltage test equipment to capture, analyze, and interpret test data.
• Conduct thermal, environmental, lifecycle, HALT, and stress testing on current and new products to validate performance and reliability.
• Troubleshoot and perform root cause analysis on mechanical and electrical failures in production and RMA equipment, as well as test equipment issues and manufacturing defects.
• Participate in design development and validation activities, providing test feedback to engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Support and enhance LabVIEW-based automated test systems and contribute to test automation initiatives.
• Generate clear test reports, document results, and maintain up-to-date testing procedures, manuals, processes, ECOs, and other documentation.
• Support production and customers as needed, both directly and through customer support channels, including product validation and troubleshooting.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to enhance test coverage, efficiency, and product quality.
• Contribute to engineering and manufacturing automation projects and support engineering testing across the product lifecycle.
• Occasionally travel (less than 10%) to support testing, validation, or customer-related activities.

• Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline; B.Sc. or M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering preferred.
• 37+ years of electrical test engineering experience, including hands-on testing of electrical systems.
• 3+ years of experience using lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, digital multimeters (DMMs), function generators, power supplies, and data acquisition (DAQ) systems.
• Experience with PCB testing, PCB troubleshooting, and power electronics testing.
• Experience developing, executing, or supporting electrical test systems in manufacturing, production testing, or validation environments.
• Ability to create electrical wiring diagrams and circuits, including experience with AutoCAD Electrical.
• Experience writing technical documentation, test procedures, manuals, and test reports.
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills for product failures, test equipment issues, and manufacturing defects.
• Hands-on experience working in a lab environment and with high-voltage test equipment.
• Experience with electrical wiring diagrams and circuit design projects.
• Interest in and experience working with power electronics products.
• Experience with National Instruments tools and platforms.
• Experience in programming related to test systems or automation.

• Masters degree in Electrical Engineering is a plus.
• LabVIEW experience for developing and supporting automated test systems.
• NI TestStand experience for managing and executing automated test sequences.
• Test automation experience, including design and implementation of automated test solutions.
• Design validation testing experience for new product development and qualification.
• High-voltage testing experience, particularly at 600V and above.
• Experience with AutoCAD Electrical for detailed wiring diagrams and panel layouts.
• Altium experience for PCB design and documentation.
• Experience with environmental, HALT, lifecycle, and thermal testing methodologies.
• Experience building electrical panels, control cabinets, or custom test fixtures.
• Experience with PMFA and circuit design projects.
• Ability to work effectively within a team of engineers and collaborate with manufacturing and customer support groups.

You will work in an engineering and manufacturing-oriented lab environment focused on power electronics products and high-voltage systems. The role involves daily use of lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, function generators, power supplies, DAQ systems, and high-voltage test equipment, as well as software tools including LabVIEW, NI TestStand, AutoCAD Electrical, and Altium. You will collaborate closely with a team of approximately seven engineers and cross-functional manufacturing and customer support teams, contributing to both development and production activities. The work includes hands-on testing at lab benches and test stations, building and maintaining test fixtures and industrial test systems, and performing environmental, thermal, HALT, and lifecycle testing. Occasional travel under 10% may be required to support testing or customer-related work. Typical attire is standard engineering lab and manufacturing-appropriate clothing suitable for working around electrical equipment and test systems.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Poway, CA.

The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $50.00/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)

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Poway, CA.

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 20, 2026.

This is a fully onsite position in Poway,CA.

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 ziprecruiter.com 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.