Hardware Test Engineer

Job Title: Hardware Test Engineer IIJob Description

The Hardware Test Engineer II supports the development, validation, and continuous improvement of advanced instrumentation, photonics, electro-optical, and embedded hardware systems. This role is critical in ensuring that products meet performance, reliability, quality, and manufacturability requirements before release. The engineer combines strong theoretical foundations with hands-on laboratory experience, test automation expertise, and a passion for solving complex technical problems through rigorous testing and data analysis. Working closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, this position designs test strategies, builds automated test solutions, characterizes product performance, investigates failures, and delivers objective engineering data that informs product decisions throughout the development lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive test plans, test procedures, and validation protocols based on product requirements and engineering specifications.
• Define acceptance criteria and verification methodologies for electrical, optical, mechanical, environmental, and system-level testing.
• Support Design Verification Testing (DVT), Engineering Verification Testing (EVT), Product Validation Testing (PVT), and product qualification activities.
• Perform verification, validation, reliability, and performance testing on complex hardware systems and subsystems.
• Conduct environmental, stress, lifecycle, transportation, and durability testing to evaluate product robustness and long-term performance.
• Characterize system performance and identify potential design limitations, risks, and failure modes.
• Design and build laboratory test fixtures, test stations, and automated test equipment (ATE) to support product development and validation.
• Develop automated test solutions, data acquisition systems, and reporting tools using Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, C++, and similar engineering software tools.
• Improve testing efficiency, repeatability, traceability, and measurement consistency through effective test automation and process optimization.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret test data using statistical methods and engineering best practices.
• Generate actionable recommendations that support product development, design improvements, and risk mitigation.
• Develop clear reports, dashboards, and technical summaries that communicate product performance and quality metrics to engineering and leadership teams.
• Identify design weaknesses, product failures, and performance deficiencies through structured testing and analysis.
• Lead or support root cause investigations and corrective action efforts to resolve product and test-related issues.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to validate solutions and implement measures that prevent recurrence of issues.
• Collaborate closely with electrical, optical, mechanical, software, firmware, systems, and manufacturing engineers throughout the product lifecycle.
• Participate in requirements reviews, design reviews, and manufacturing readiness reviews, providing test and reliability input.
• Provide recommendations to improve product reliability, manufacturability, and testability.
• Support product qualification, regulatory testing, and quality initiatives to ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and industry standards.
• Contribute to reliability testing strategies and long-term product performance plans.
• Drive continuous improvement in test methodologies, laboratory processes, automation tools, and reporting systems.
• Evaluate and implement new test technologies, measurement techniques, and instrumentation to enhance test capability.
• Support engineering best practices and continuous process improvements across the organization.
• Assist in developing manufacturing test solutions and supporting production transfer activities for new products.

Essential Skills

• 5-10+ years of experience in hardware test engineering, product characterization, validation, reliability engineering, or related engineering disciplines.
• Hands-on experience with hardware testing and test equipment in a laboratory environment.
• Strong background in hardware test, including development and execution of test plans and procedures.
• Experience developing and using automated test equipment (ATE) for complex hardware systems.
• Proficiency in Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, C++, or similar engineering software tools for test automation, data acquisition, and analysis.
• Ability to perform and interpret electrical, optical, mechanical, environmental, and system-level tests.
• Experience with reliability demonstration testing and environmental qualification testing.
• Familiarity with Design Verification Testing (DVT), Engineering Verification Testing (EVT), Production Verification Testing (PVT), and Design Validation Testing (DV).
• Strong data analysis skills, including the use of statistical methods to interpret test results and derive engineering insights.
• Demonstrated ability to lead or support root cause investigations and corrective action activities.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Computer Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• background in spectroscopy, photonics, optics, or analytical instrumentation is highly desirable.
• Experience with spectroscopy, photonics, optical instrumentation, analytical instruments, or precision electro-mechanical systems.
• Working knowledge of optical system characterization, fiber optics, lasers, detectors, and spectroscopy instrumentation.
• Experience in regulated environments such as ISO 9001, FDA, or similar quality systems.
• Understanding of quality, compliance, and reliability principles in product development and testing.
• M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering or scientific discipline is preferred.
• Experience supporting manufacturing test development and production transfer activities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and communicate technical information clearly through reports and presentations.

Work Environment

This role operates primarily in a laboratory and engineering environment focused on advanced instrumentation, photonics, electro-optical, and embedded hardware systems. You will work closely with electrical, optical, mechanical, software, firmware, systems, and manufacturing engineers, using test equipment, automated test stations, and data acquisition systems built with tools such as Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, C++, and specialized optical and hardware instrumentation. The work involves hands-on interaction with lasers, detectors, fiber optics, and precision electro-mechanical systems, as well as environmental and reliability test setups. The environment emphasizes adherence to quality systems and industry standards, collaborative problem solving, and continuous improvement of test methodologies and processes.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Orlando, FL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $58.00 - $62.00/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 Orlando,FL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 24, 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 actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.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.