Hardware QA Engineer

QA Engineer

We are looking for a fast-learning engineer & tinkerer to join our growing team and help us solarize the world! You will be building and implementing scalable testing workflows in support of both R&D and production of shade-tolerant solar products.

The ideal candidate is:

• An engineer experienced with designing, implementing, and improving repeatable, well-documented experiments
• Proficient in experimental design, data analysis, and operation of lab instruments
• Familiar with basic concepts of mechanical and electrical engineering
• Comfortable hacking stuff together in a prototyping lab
• Interested in creating, learning, and working with new technologies
• Interested in working at a fast growing early-stage startup
• Able to collaborate effectively with a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders
• Comfortable self-managing (with support) and knows their way around an agile workflow
• Passionate about solar energy

Bonus points for:

• Familiarity with solar power systems, solar testing, QA, QC
• Possessing relevant educational and/or research background
• Experience with power tools, soldering & rework
• Familiarity with 3D CAD tools
• Familiarity with basic electrical/electronics lab equipment

Are you worried that you don’t check all the boxes? Apply anyway! There are no perfect candidates— we hire people, not resumés. Take a look at the responsibilities listed below, and see if you think it’s a fit.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Ensuring that products are being built to do exactly what our customers need them to do
• Identifying critical failure modes and root causes of these failures
• Developing tests for solar power systems and their subcomponents to ensure we hit our product targets throughout R&D
• Designing and refining incoming and outgoing manufacturing QC tests, and ensuring the tests are implemented correctly by manufacturing partners
• Building, maintaining, and improving custom test rigs, setups, and methods to support R&D and manufacturing-level testing
• Running the test procedures you develop, and training others to run them
• Organizing and maintaining comprehensive documentation on test procedures, test parameters, and test results
• Communicating processes and procedures to other team members and external organizations with varying degrees of technical expertise and background
• Keeping reusability, scalability, and automation in mind while building out quality assurance as a dedicated discipline at our company

On occasion and when necessary, wearing some non-testing hats to ensure end product quality:

• Reworking and/or repairing prototypes
• Collecting customer feedback
• Supporting customer testing of our solar power systems

Equity range: 0.05% – 0.2%

Candidates must located in the SF Bay Area near Optivolt’s office in San Mateo, CA or be willing to relocate to be considered for this role.

Optivolt Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in hiring folks from any and every background and lived experience–not just because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it makes our team stronger.