Head of Test & Validation

ENSURGE • San Jose, CA

2d

About The Position

Ensurge is seeking a Head of Test & Validation to define and drive a structured, decision-oriented test and validation framework across product and technology development. This role is responsible for ensuring that testing and failure analysis directly support technology readiness, phase-gate decisions, and design improvements, rather than standalone data collection. This role will lead a multidisciplinary team spanning test engineering, failure analysis, data/DOE engineering, and root cause analysis (RCA), and will serve as a key interface among Product, R&D, and Process Development teams to ensure that validation data translates into actionable decisions.

Requirements

• BS, MS, or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrochemistry, or related field
• 7–12+ years of experience in test, validation, reliability, or advanced R&D environments
• Strong hands-on experience with: Test planning and execution, Failure analysis and root cause investigation, DOE and statistical methods, Experimental data interpretation
• Demonstrated ability to lead small technical teams and drive execution
• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate data into decisions

Nice To Haves

• Experience with solid-state, lithium-metal, or advanced lithium-based battery systems
• Background in batteries, microelectronics, semiconductors, or other complex hardware systems
• Exposure to phase-gate development models (POC, EVT, DVT, PVT)
• Experience operating in fast-paced startup or scale-up environments

Responsibilities

• Define and execute end-to-end test and validation strategies aligned with product requirements, application needs, and phase-gate criteria
• Ensure all testing activities are hypothesis-driven and explicitly tied to risk reduction or readiness decisions
• Establish validation coverage across electrical performance, reliability, environmental robustness, safety, and mechanical integrity
• Support POC, EVT, and DVT readiness assessments with clear, data-backed recommendations
• Define validation sufficiency and identify gaps, risks, and mitigation plans
• Lead structured Design of Experiments (DoE) planning and execution across materials, cell design, and process variables
• Ensure experimental designs are statistically sound, well-documented, and traceable to builds and process conditions
• Partner with Product, Systems Engineering, and R&D teams to prioritize DOEs based on technology risk and readiness gaps
• Eliminate ad-hoc experimentation by enforcing disciplined experimental frameworks
• Own and drive failure analysis and root cause investigation for performance, reliability, or process deviations
• Establish consistent FA and RCA methodologies and documentation standards
• Correlate failure modes to design decisions, materials, process windows, or usage conditions
• Drive corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) and ensure closure through follow-up testing
• Synthesize FA findings into clear insights for leadership and cross-functional teams
• Ensure test, DOE, and FA data integrity, traceability, and usability across development phases
• Work closely with data and engineering teams to link test results to materials, process conditions, and build history
• Enable clear data summaries and dashboards that support phase-gate and design review decisions
• Improve data consistency and reproducibility across experiments and builds
• Build, lead, and mentor a high-impact team, including: Test Engineers, Failure Analysis Engineers, DOE / Data Engineers
• Define clear roles, responsibilities, and interfaces within the team
• Establish operating rhythms, best practices, and technical standards
• Support hiring, onboarding, and development of technical talent
• Serve as a key interface between: Product Management & Product Validation, Cell & Materials Engineering, Process & Manufacturing Development
• Support internal phase-gate reviews with validation and readiness evidence
• Provide clear, data-driven recommendations to leadership on technology risk and readiness

Benefits

• The salary of the final candidate selected for this role will be determined by a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees