Senior Hardware Validation Engineer
About The Position
The Senior Hardware Validation Engineer leads end-to-end hardware validation activities for Canopy products across the product-development lifecycle. The role establishes validation strategies, manages test plans and execution, maintains requirements traceability, and drives testing best practices and process improvements. It combines hands-on testing and test-rig development with validation-management responsibilities, including coordination with cross-functional teams and suppliers, tracking test progress and risks, and communicating validation readiness. The engineer leads technical issue triage and root-cause analysis to ensure timely containment and corrective actions. The position provides technical leadership and mentorship but does not include direct people-management responsibility. The role is based at Canopy headquarters in Detroit and at various testing facilities in the Metro Detroit/Dearborn area. Candidates should be prepared to work onsite for testing and collaboration in this geographical area on a weekly basis. Work generally takes place in a well-lit, temperature-controlled indoor environment, with occasional outdoor exposure and possible use of safety glasses, protective clothing, or other protective gear. In-state, out-of-state, or global travel may be required, as may irregular shifts and extended hours, including evenings and weekends.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
- Five or more years of experience in hardware validation, hardware test engineering, quality engineering, or a similar product-development role.
- Demonstrated experience developing and executing hardware validation plans, test procedures, test cases, and test reports across product-development phases.
- Hands-on experience building or supporting test rigs and using bench-level test equipment, including oscilloscopes, programmable power supplies, CAN analyzers, digital multimeters, and spectrum analyzers.
- Strong knowledge of hardware, sensors, and peripherals, with the ability to execute tests, triage failures, perform root-cause analysis, and support corrective-action development.
- Experience translating hardware requirements into test cases, maintaining requirements traceability, and documenting test results, issues, and lessons learned.
- Ability to work effectively with cross-functional engineering teams, suppliers, and quality stakeholders in a fast-paced product-development environment.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to support vehicle testing as needed.
Nice To Haves
- M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
- Previous experience in automotive product development, ideally within an OEM, Tier 1 supplier, or automotive technology organization.
- Proficiency with automotive communication protocols, including CAN 2.0, CAN FD, Ethernet, LIN, SENT, and FlexRay.
- Experience with vehicle-level integration testing, Interface Control Document (ICD) verification, and automotive electronic systems architecture.
- Working knowledge of structured problem-solving and quality methods, including 8D, DFMEA, PFMEA, change management, and Six Sigma principles.
- Experience with test automation, continuous integration or deployment pipelines, and tools such as GitLab, AWS services, Jira, Zephyr, Asana, or Microsoft Office applications.
- Hands-on experience testing Linux-based or embedded hardware devices, including integration, regression, performance, stress, end-to-end, and security testing.
- Ability to interpret electronic schematics and PCB layouts, with practical experience supporting EMC/EMI design compliance and validation.
Responsibilities
- Lead and manage end-to-end hardware validation activities across development phases, ensuring plans, schedules, execution, and deliverables align with product requirements and program milestones.
- Develop and maintain validation plans, test procedures, test cases, and execution strategies that provide requirements coverage and traceability.
- Establish, champion, and continuously improve testing standards, tools, workflows, and validation processes to drive consistency, efficiency, quality, and repeatability.
- Oversee and participate in hardware, vehicle-level, and controlled-environment testing; communicate test status, results, risks, and recommendations to stakeholders.
- Lead investigation of hardware defects and test failures, partnering with engineering teams and suppliers to identify root causes, define containment actions, and implement permanent corrective actions.
- Manage validation activities with suppliers and collaborate with hardware, software, systems, quality, DFMEA/PFMEA, and vehicle integration teams to resolve risks and ensure product readiness.
- Support development of test rigs and test environments, and maintain validation documentation, including Standard Operating Procedures, test reports, lessons learned, and Interface Control Document verification.
- Provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers while promoting a disciplined, data-driven validation culture.
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical benefits coverage
- Dental plans
- Vision coverage
- Health care and dependent care spending accounts
- Employee and Family Assistance Program (EAP)
- Employee discount programs
- Retirement plan with a generous company match
- Paid time off, sick time, and holidays
- Family leave, including maternity and paternity leave
- Short- and long-term disability
- Life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
