Sr Manager, Product Testing and Validation

Pebble•Fremont, CA

About The Position

As the Head of Product Test & Validation, you will lead and scale comprehensive testing efforts across electrical, electromechanical, mechanical, and software-integrated systems. You will be responsible for system-level and component-level validation, ensuring compliance with performance, durability, and safety standards. Managing a team of test and validation engineers, you will oversee both laboratory and field testing, leveraging simulation, data analysis, and real-world validation techniques to refine product performance. This role requires a strategic leader with hands-on expertise in test methodologies, product reliability analysis, and cross-functional collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, and compliance teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related field.
10+ years of experience in system validation, product testing, or reliability engineering in automotive, mobility.
Proven leadership experience in managing test teams and scaling validation programs.
Expertise in system and component-level validation for electrical, mechanical, and electromechanical systems.
Experience with failure analysis, data acquisition, and root cause diagnostics.
Strong knowledge of regulatory compliance and testing standards for mobility and vehicle systems.
Ability to thrive in fast-paced startup environments, balancing strategic oversight with hands-on problem-solving.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience with simulation tools, test automation, and data analytics is a plus.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a comprehensive test and validation strategy across system, component, and product levels.
Establish best-in-class validation methodologies, integrating simulation-driven verification and real-world testing.
Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for product reliability, quality, and user experience.
Collaborate with design, engineering, and manufacturing teams to align validation processes with product development cycles.
Oversee the design and execution of test plans for vehicle engineering and feature validations
Develop test protocols for functional, performance, environmental, and safety validation.
Utilize simulation and modeling tools to complement physical testing and accelerate validation.
Implement failure analysis and root cause diagnostics to drive corrective actions and continuous improvement.
Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements for vehicle systems.
Manage real-world validation programs, testing products under various environmental and operational conditions.
Oversee data collection and analysis from test fleets, identifying trends and performance insights.
Implement automated test frameworks and data-driven validation approaches.
Partner with hardware, software, and mechanical teams to provide test-driven insights for product refinement.
Support manufacturing and quality teams with end-of-line and production validation testing.
Ensure seamless integration between test, design, and compliance teams for certification readiness.