Staff Electrical Engineer - Testing

Vector Atomic • Pleasanton, CA

7d • $163,430 - $234,350 • Onsite

About The Position

Vector Atomic, an IonQ company, is seeking an experienced test engineer to work with physicists and electrical, mechanical, software, and optical engineers to develop verification approaches for specialized electronics used in next-generation quantum instruments. The role is part of the leadership team defining hardware test strategy and combines creating procedures with hands-on lab execution and board-level debugging. The engineer will lead a growing team responsible for testing and debugging complex electronic circuits, while mentoring early-career engineers. The position is onsite in Pleasanton, California, with up to 10% domestic or international travel.

Requirements

• BSEE or MSEE degree combined with leadership experience testing precision instruments and/or sensors.
• Comfort working in a laboratory environment.
• Effective written and verbal communication with coworkers and collaborators.
• Ability to create test plans and procedures for novel instrumentation.
• Experience devising test protocols for precision instruments, including specifying equipment, writing programs or scripts to automate testing, and documenting procedures for team use.
• Proficiency in post-test data analysis to extract required performance metrics.
• Experience designing test loads, cabling, and custom equipment for verification work.
• Ability to read schematics, data sheets, and technical information to define expected measurement ranges.
• Proficiency with laboratory test and measurement equipment, including oscilloscopes, VNA, SA, power supplies, function generators, and DVM.
• Must be a U.S. citizen (born or naturalized), lawful U.S. permanent resident, or fall within certain categories of refugees or asylees, to comply with U.S. export control laws.

Nice To Haves

• Experience using PCB layout tools, particularly Altium.
• Ability to write test firmware for embedded MCUs to support testing MCU-based PCBs.
• Background with AS9100 compliance.
• Experience with environmental testing for space electronics, including radiation effects.

Responsibilities

• Lead a growing team responsible for testing and debugging complex electronic circuits, including circuits with FPGAs, MCUs, mixed-signal components, precision analog, and photonics devices.
• Collaborate with physicists and electrical, mechanical, software, and optical engineers to develop test procedures for electronic designs used in next-generation quantum instruments.
• Work with engineering and manufacturing to define design-for-test (DFT) and design-for-manufacturing (DFM) improvements.
• Create environmental, EMI, and EMC test plans; oversee and manage execution at external facilities when needed, adjusting protocols to optimize results.
• Use electronic test and measurement equipment to characterize and verify performance.
• Define equipment and software for automated data systems for production systems.
• Execute test procedures in the lab and assist with debugging challenging board-level issues involving custom electronics.
• Mentor early-career engineers and lead by example.
• Organize and manage test results, and maintain data storage and management systems so test data is retained and documented.
• Analyze post-test data to extract required performance metrics.
• Design test loads, cabling, and custom equipment to support verification work.

Benefits

• Platinum-level family health coverage, including medical, dental, and vision.
• Health and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).
• Employer 401(k) contributions.
• 20 days of paid time off and 11 paid holidays.
• Paid parental leave.
• Fully stocked kitchen.
• Competitive compensation package including base salary, bonus, equity, and benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior