Hiring a Test Rack Technician

Test Rack Technician

Client: BLOCK

Location: Oakland, CA

Rate: Market

Why a test rack technician

There is a fair amount of mechanical work needed to build, install and maintain the DSE test rack. The DSE Test Rack requires mechanical assembly and maintenance in order to enable test workstreams. Having software engineers perform this work is not a great role-fit and hence we want to staff this function exclusively.

What will they do all day

We (teams across DSE) would like to leverage technicians to build and manage the nodes on the test rack.

Responsibilities:

• Assemble hardware test fixtures (required) Skills: screwdriver, following assembly instructions, handling PCBs
• Investigate failures and repair test bundles to return them to service (required) Skills: read error messages, navigate linux command line, swap components without impacting test fixtures
• Ensure that we can have our infrastructure up and running for teams to run tests
• Take ownership of the debug and triage process of keeping nodes healthy

What will you be doing:

Building Square hardware nodes

Assemble Bundles of Hardware (cables, USB hubs, power supplies, and PCBs) in a consistent manner to ensure that the bundle will provide reliable test signal

Detecting node failures (and tracking status)

Check web interface for node health

Run test scripts from connected laptop

Not scared of or can learn to use the command line

Read test log and identify failures

Establish hypotheses and set up experiments to test for failing components

Catalog failing components by SN and failure mode

Fixing broken nodes

Bonus! Can update scripts when necessary

Identify Failing Components - swap components in order to achieve a reliable test system

Run standard and non-standard validations to ensure that the test bundle meets the SW engineer teams' needs

Stretch goals:

• Skills: validate new firmware on components, run test scripts on boards
• Skills: Can write, understand and debug simple script