Principal Test Engineer (mixed signal)

Mercury Systems•Huntsville, AL

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Mercury Systems is seeking the best and brightest talent to help us bring cutting-edge technology to mission-critical aerospace and defense applications, advancing innovation where it matters most. Our Mixed Signal business unit is seeking an experienced Principal Test Engineer to develop and execute comprehensive test strategies for sophisticated mission-critical embedded technology designed to withstand the most rugged environments. This role requires deep expertise in digital hardware testing, ASIC/FPGA verification, and environmental qualification testing for aerospace and defense applications. You will own the complete test lifecycle from Design Verification Testing (DVT) through production test deployment, including test automation software development, test fixture design, and formal qualification documentation. This is an ideal opportunity for someone who thinks like a design engineer but lives in the test world—someone who can build test infrastructure as a product in its own right with the same rigor applied to flight hardware.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
Typically requires 6+ years of related experience in electronics test engineering
Hands-on experience testing complex digital subsystems including FPGA verification and ASIC integration
Strong programming skills in Python and/or .NET for test automation, data analysis, and embedded test firmware development
Experience with test automation frameworks; LabVIEW proficiency preferred for existing test systems
Experience with test firmware development for embedded systems including SPI, I2C, UART protocol implementations
Demonstrated experience executing MIL-STD-810H and MIL-STD-461G qualification testing campaigns
Strong experience with RF and digital test equipment including: spectrum analyzers, network analyzers (VNA), signal generators, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, and thermal chambers
Strong experience designing and building test fixtures, cable harnesses, and test interface hardware
Ability to write formal test procedures, qualification plans, and test reports to audit standards
Experience with ruggedized military and space-grade electronics testing
This position requires you to have or obtain a government security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens.
Travel approximately 20% to external test facilities and customer sites

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering
Experience with AI-assisted development tools (Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, or similar) for accelerating test automation development
Demonstrated ability to leverage modern development workflows and AI coding assistants
Proficiency in C/C++, Rust, VHDL, MATLAB, and/or SQL for specialized test applications and data management
Experience with radiation qualification testing at external facilities
Knowledge of high-speed digital design including signal integrity and power integrity analysis
Experience testing Intel (Xilinx) and AMD (Altera) FPGA-based systems
Familiarity with Cadence design tools and design verification workflows
Experience with 3U/6U VPX systems (VITA46, VITA65)
Knowledge of Design for Test (DFT) and Design for Reliability (DFR) principles
Requirements traceability tool experience (JAMA, DOORS)
Experience with statistical process control and test data trending analysis
Understanding of power supply testing and EMI compliance verification
Existing Secret clearance or higher

Responsibilities

Develop and execute Design Verification Test (DVT) plans and procedures for complex digital circuits, modules, and systems including ASIC integration and FPGA verification
Design, build, and certify test fixtures, cable harnesses, and test interface boards for complex digital subsystems
Develop automated test systems using modern programming languages (Python, .NET) including instrument control, data acquisition, and automated pass/fail determination; LabVIEW support for existing systems
Develop test firmware for embedded targets including SPI/I2C/UART communication protocols and diagnostic interfaces
Execute environmental and qualification testing per MIL-STD-810H (thermal, vibration, shock, acceleration) and MIL-STD-461G (EMI/EMC) standards
Perform ASIC integration testing including register read/write verification, state machine validation, and high-speed SPI interface testing
Test high-speed digital interfaces including PCIe, Ethernet, DDR SDRAM, and complex power sequencing circuits
Conduct burn-in testing, accelerated life testing, and reliability qualification campaigns
Perform root cause analysis on test failures with first-responder anomaly triage and failure mode characterization
Develop comprehensive test plans, test procedures, and formal test reports traceable to product requirements (JAMA, DOORS)
Maintain test assets under configuration management with NIST-traceable calibration records
Prepare and present Test Readiness Review (TRR) packages for qualification events
Lead production test handoff activities including manufacturing test documentation and knowledge transfer
Interface with design engineering, program management, manufacturing, and customers to resolve technical test issues