Senor Characterization and Test Engineer

PsiQuantum•Milpitas, CA

12d•$106,300 - $178,400

About The Position

The Senior Characterization & Test Engineer will own the evaluation, characterization, and validation strategy for photonic devices, packages, and subsystems. This role will lead the design and execution of electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical test programs, drive root-cause and reliability investigations, and set technical direction for the characterization lab. The engineer will work closely with product, packaging, reliability, and manufacturing teams — and mentor junior engineers — to generate the high-quality data and engineering judgment that enables product development, qualification, and volume ramp decisions.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience, or Master's degree with 5+ years of relevant experience, in engineering characterization, testing, laboratory operations, or product development.
Demonstrated hands-on expertise operating and troubleshooting characterization equipment including Infrared Thermography, Laser Doppler Vibrometers (LDV), Instron Universal Mechanical Testers, and C-Mode Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (C-SAM).
Track record of independently analyzing thermal, mechanical, vibration, and package integrity data to drive product development, reliability, and failure analysis decisions.
Deep experience with laboratory instrumentation and data acquisition system design/integration.
Solid working knowledge of optics, photonics, electronics, semiconductor devices, or advanced packaging technologies.
Proficiency with data analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, JMP, or equivalent, including building automated analysis pipelines.
Strong command of Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis methods, with experience designing (not just executing) test programs.
Demonstrated ability to lead technical investigations and communicate findings to cross-functional and senior stakeholders.
Experience mentoring or informally leading junior engineers or technicians.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with photonic devices, optoelectronics, semiconductor packaging, or advanced manufacturing.
Experience with optical alignment, imaging systems, or optical characterization technique development.
Experience building test automation frameworks or new test capability from scratch.
Experience leading reliability testing or failure analysis programs, including ownership of qualification test plans.
Experience presenting technical results in design reviews or to leadership.

Responsibilities

Lead electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical characterization programs for photonic devices, packages, and assemblies, from test plan definition through execution and reporting.
Own the design of test plans and DOEs supporting product development, process validation, reliability qualification, and failure analysis, and review/approve plans developed by junior team members.
Drive selection, setup, and qualification of laboratory equipment, including optical measurement systems, vibrometers, thermal imaging systems, and mechanical testers, and define best practices for their use.
Independently analyze and interpret complex test data, identify performance and reliability trends, and translate findings into engineering recommendations for product and packaging teams.
Lead root-cause investigations and failure analysis efforts, coordinating across characterization, packaging, reliability, and manufacturing to close out issues.
Develop and maintain automated test scripts, data pipelines, and analysis tools (Python or similar) to improve lab throughput and data quality.
Author technical reports and present findings and recommendations to cross-functional and leadership audiences.
Define and build new characterization methods, test fixtures, and lab capabilities to support next-generation photonic products.
Own qualification and reliability test programs, including thermal, mechanical, and environmental stress testing, and represent characterization in design/qualification reviews.
Establish and maintain lab documentation, test procedures, and equipment calibration standards; ensure compliance across the team.
Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior characterization/test engineers and lab technicians.
Partner with product, packaging, reliability, process, and manufacturing engineering to resolve complex technical challenges and influence design decisions.