Hardware Test Engineer

Matternet•Mountain View, CA

About The Position

Matternet is building autonomous drone networks for delivering critical goods across healthcare, logistics, food, and retail. The Hardware Test Engineer will build the electrical and mechanical test capability used to verify hardware, including board bring-up, mechanism life testing, environmental qualification, and end-of-line testers for the M3 aircraft, batteries, docks, and portals. The role develops and executes verification and validation plans, designs test fixtures and hardware-in-the-loop rigs, conducts mechanical and environmental testing, instruments and characterizes hardware, and creates automated test software. It also supports failure analysis and transfers production testers to contract manufacturers, with a focus on improving yield and cycle time. The expected starting salary range is $128,000–$164,000, based on San Francisco Bay Area market data. Final compensation depends on experience, skills, level, location, and potential impact. Total rewards include equity and benefits.

Requirements

BS in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, or Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
4+ years in hardware test, validation, or qualification across electrical and mechanical systems.
Strong Python skills for test automation, instrument control, and data analysis.
Proficiency with electrical lab equipment, including oscilloscopes, DMMs, power supplies, electronic loads, and DAQ systems.
Hands-on experience with mechanical test methods and sensors such as strain gauges, load cells, accelerometers, and thermocouples.
Experience designing mechanical test fixtures in CAD (SolidWorks preferred) and building them by hand.
Working knowledge of CAN, UART/RS-485, I2C, SPI, and Ethernet, and comfort reading schematics and drawings.
Ability to lift and move test equipment, fixtures, batteries, and assemblies as required.

Nice To Haves

UAV, aerospace, automotive, or other safety-critical regulated experience.
Environmental qualification to DO-160, MIL-STD-810, or IEC 60529 (IP), including vibration shaker and thermal chamber operation.
HALT/HASS or accelerated life testing, and HIL simulation with ArduPilot or PX4 hardware.
Battery and BMS testing, or propulsion (motor and propeller) test stand experience.

Responsibilities

Develop verification and validation test plans for electrical, mechanical, and electromechanical hardware, traced to requirements.
Design and build test fixtures, stands, and hardware-in-the-loop rigs, including mechanical fixturing, data acquisition, instrumentation, and safety interlocks.
Run static-load, vibration, shock and drop, and fatigue and life-cycle tests on structures and mechanisms such as the payload hook, tether drop, and dock doors.
Run thermal, humidity, and rain and dust ingress tests in-house and with outside test labs.
Instrument hardware with strain gauges, load cells, accelerometers, and thermocouples, and characterize propulsion on thrust stands.
Write automated test software for design verification testing, qualification, and end-of-line production testing.
Support board bring-up and lead failure analysis on test failures, flight-test issues, and field returns.
Transfer production testers to contract manufacturers and improve yield and cycle time.