Quality Assurance Engineer 5

Firmware Quality Engineer (SDET)We are seeking an experienced 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 automated systems, tooling, and validation frameworks that enable engineering teams to move quickly while maintaining a high standard for reliability, performance, and release readiness. The ideal candidate is a builder first—someone who enjoys writing code, automating repetitive work, creating scalable test systems, debugging embedded systems, building Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) infrastructure, and partnering with engineering teams to improve product quality throughout the development lifecycle. This is an onsite role based in Beaverton OR working within a fast-paced startup-style product development environment.Startup team atmosphere supporting a special hardware innovation project. Candidate will help run testing with connected hardware devices.Desired Candidate ProfileMinimum Required Experience:5+ years of experience as a Firmware QA Engineer / SDETEducation:Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experienceMust Have Skills:Experience building QA automation pipelinesExperience automating firmware testingExperience with robotics, mechatronics, embedded systems, wearables, drones, 3D printers, or other connected hardware productsNice to Have Skills:Hardware system testingAbility to triage issues and perform root cause analysisDevelop and measure quality metricsCreate qualitative insights from quantitative testing resultsRecommend improvements based on validation findingsSoftware / Technical Requirements:PythonCI/CD PipelinesHardware-in-the-Loop (HIL)Embedded SystemsFirmware AutomationPrevious Industry Experience:Not RequiredWho We're Looking For:We'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.Key Responsibilities:Build 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 With:You'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.Required Qualifications:Bachelor'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 with 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 using logs, telemetry, debugging tools, and root cause analysisExperience creating test strategies, validation plans, and release qualification processesExcellent written communication and documentation skillsBuilder mindset with the ability to create new tools and processes in ambiguous environmentsHighly self-motivated and comfortable working in startup-style product development environmentsComfortable collaborating across firmware, controls, hardware, backend, and QA disciplinesPreferred Qualifications:Robotics, exoskeletons, autonomous systems, industrial automation, or mechatronicsHardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing environmentsSensor fusion, control 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, RCD, incubation, or 0?1 product development environmentsExperience using modern AI-enabled engineering workflows and tools