Senior System Validation and Automation Engineer

Generac Power Systems•Waukesha, WI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Generac is hiring a Senior System Validation and Automation Engineer to own planning and execution of system-level validation for power electronics, energy storage, and connected energy products. The role combines hands-on electrical testing with Python-based automation to evaluate system performance, uncover defects, and improve test coverage and repeatability. The engineer works closely with hardware and firmware teams to investigate complex system behavior and provide evidence supporting product decisions. The role is located at Generac’s Waukesha, Wisconsin office.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
At least 5 years of relevant engineering experience in validation or testing of power electronics, energy storage, or embedded electrical systems.
Proficiency in Python for test automation, instrument or device control, and data analysis.
Hands-on experience troubleshooting electrical hardware and interpreting schematics, measurements, and system behavior.
Ability to design experiments, define pass/fail criteria, analyze results, and distinguish product failures from test setup issues.
Working knowledge of Linux, shell/Bash scripting, Git, and issue-tracking tools such as Jira.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Experience testing inverters, DC converters, controllers, or comparable electrical systems.
Proficiency with laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, power analyzers, programmable AC/DC sources, and electronic or passive loads.
Experience integrating hardware into automated test setups using interfaces and protocols such as CAN, Modbus, Ethernet, RS-232, RS-485, or MQTT.
Experience with lithium-ion battery systems, battery management systems, solar microinverters, or integrated energy storage products.
Experience developing automated regression frameworks using tools such as pytest.
Familiarity with C, C++, or Python for understanding or debugging embedded firmware behavior.
Experience with remotely operated test systems, continuous integration, or distributed test infrastructure.
Familiarity with applicable power electronics, energy storage, or grid-interconnection standards.

Responsibilities

Lead system validation for assigned products and releases, owning test planning, execution, reporting, and completion.
Translate product requirements, system use cases, and identified risks into validation plans, test cases, and measurable acceptance criteria.
Develop and maintain Python-based automated tests, reusable test libraries, and infrastructure for scalable, repeatable testing.
Design, configure, and troubleshoot test setups integrating products, laboratory instruments, programmable power equipment, and communication interfaces.
Evaluate system behavior during normal operation, at operating limits, under fault conditions, and in interactions between connected devices.
Develop and maintain Design Verification Plans and Reports (DVP&R), using requirements and Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) inputs to identify and address test coverage gaps.
Investigate failures using electrical measurements, communication traces, system logs, and test data; collaborate with hardware and firmware teams on root-cause analysis and verify corrective actions.
Develop and execute regression testing to assess the impact of firmware and hardware changes.
Maintain traceability between requirements, test cases, results, and defects, and communicate validation progress, technical risks, and release concerns.
Coordinate with cross-functional teams to resolve blockers, support applicable standards-based testing, and meet program milestones.
Mentor junior engineers and improve the team’s testing methods, automation practices, and technical documentation.