Test Automation Engineer

Tau•Redwood City, CA

2h•Onsite

About The Position

Tau is a venture-backed advanced technology company based in the Bay Area (Redwood City, CA). We design and develop next-generation products for electrification, constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation. The company was started because we believe the key to a more sustainable future requires modern power conversion systems to increase the security of the world’s energy. We have pioneered technologies that leverage software-enabled hardware to provide industry-leading scale, economics, and efficiencies. Our systems include innovations across electric machines, inverters, controllers, thermal management, simulation, and charging systems. Tau's team of engineers, scientists, technologists, operators, and industry leaders continues to advance our internal technology roadmap while collaborating with commercial partners to deploy our existing products to market. They are relentlessly pursuing the creation of efficient power conversion systems for a more sustainable future. At our core, Tau is made of exceptionally talented and mission-aligned people. Developing complex electromechanical systems is an interdisciplinary challenge. We want to expand our team with diverse engineering, scientific, and operational expertise. We are looking for people who aren't afraid to take on new challenges and are as passionate about energy and electrification as we are: You find significant challenges exciting and enjoy discovering and defining problems as much as solving them. You deliver. You may enjoy thoughtful conversations about problems and perfecting design, but ultimately, you know that delivering innovative, effective, and reliable solutions matters. You are a cross-disciplinary team member. You are excited to work with, learn from, and contribute to technology teams ranging from electromagnetics, power electronics, controls systems, mechanical, materials, software, computational physics, and beyond. Tau Motors seeks a Test Automation Engineer to build and scale our automated test infrastructure across software and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments. This role is critical to ensuring the quality and robustness of embedded software controlling next-generation electric propulsion systems. You’ll work closely with firmware, controls, and hardware teams to design test strategies, develop automated test frameworks, and integrate validation into continuous integration pipelines.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related degree
3+ years of experience in test automation for embedded systems
Strong programming skills (Python, C/C++, or similar)
Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing and real-time systems
Familiarity with embedded software development and debugging
Experience with lab equipment (oscilloscopes, power supplies, CAN tools, DAQs, etc.)

Nice To Haves

Understanding of control systems, motor control, or power electronics is a strong plus
Experience with CI/CD tools and automated test pipelines (Jenkins)
Experience with automotive or safety-critical systems
Familiarity with CAN, SPI, UART, and other embedded communication protocols
Experience with simulation environments (MATLAB/Simulink, etc.)
Exposure to ISO 26262 or similar safety frameworks
Experience scaling test infrastructure in fast-paced environments

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks for embedded software validation
Build and operate hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test systems to validate real-time control software
Develop test cases for motor control algorithms, power electronics, and safety-critical features
Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines for continuous validation
Define test strategies, coverage metrics, and validation plans across system, integration, and unit levels
Debug complex issues spanning software, firmware, and hardware interfaces
Collaborate with cross-functional teams (controls, firmware, electrical, systems) to ensure testability and coverage
Drive improvements in test infrastructure, tooling, and processes
Support validation for safety and reliability standards (e.g., ISO 26262 concepts where applicable)

Benefits

competitive compensation that is fair and equitable
annual performance bonus
equity
other incentive compensation plans
top-tier benefits
Become part of an emerging company during a rapid growth phase—within an industry undergoing dramatic transformation for a global imperative.
Work with some of the smartest and most talented experts from different fields to: (1) attack some of the most pressing issues of today while (2) contributing to technically demanding and deeply innovative solutions.
Growth potential—we advance team members who have an outsized impact.
Competitive compensation based upon experience level, including stock options
Flexible time off
paid holidays
Centrally located in the Bay Area on the Peninsula in vibrant downtown Redwood City
Blocks from the Caltrain
Walking distance to food and entertainment
Easy access to both the 101 and 280
Excellent medical, dental, vision & life insurance
Comprehensive benefits including 401(k), HSA and FSA benefits, commuter benefits and more