Electrical Hardware Test Engineer

Electrical Hardware Test EngineerAbout the OpportunityThrively is partnering with a well-funded, venture-backed deep-tech startup developing next-generation optical switching technology for AI and hyperscale data centers.The company is building a highly differentiated, chip-scale optical switching platform designed to address some of the fundamental connectivity, power, and scalability challenges created by increasingly large GPU clusters. Its technology combines silicon photonics, MEMS, advanced electronics, ASICs, and embedded systems to enable significantly more efficient connectivity within next-generation AI infrastructure.As the company moves its technology from development toward production, we're looking for a highly hands-on Electrical Hardware Test Engineer who can take broad ownership across electrical test, board-level hardware, validation, and prototype development.The RoleThis is not a narrowly defined test execution role.You'll develop custom test systems for semiconductors and PCBAs, find creative ways to test difficult components, debug complex electrical issues, and validate ASICs, circuit boards, and subsystems as they progress from prototype into production.You'll also contribute directly to PCB design and prototype development, giving you an opportunity to work across much more of the hardware lifecycle than you might find within a larger, more segmented engineering organization.We're particularly interested in engineers who enjoy getting into the lab, building things themselves, solving ambiguous hardware problems, and taking ownership from design → build → bring-up → test → debug → production.What You'll DoCustom Test System DevelopmentDesign, build, and program custom electrical test stations for ASICs, PCBAs, and other electronic subsystemsDevelop creative test approaches for components and systems that don't have an off-the-shelf test solutionEvaluate and select test equipment, fixtures, sockets, wafer probers, and related hardwareWork with third-party vendors to procure or develop specialized test equipmentIntegrate instrumentation, custom electronics, fixtures, and software into automated test systemsDevelop test automation and custom test protocolsPCB & Electronics DevelopmentDesign R&D, production-test, and product circuit boardsDevelop architecture/block diagrams and select componentsPerform schematic design and contribute to PCB layoutManage PCB fabrication and assemblyBring up and verify newly built hardwarePerform hands-on board-level debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, electronic loads, multimeters, and other bench equipmentIdentify root causes of electrical failures and drive corrective actionsDevelop and execute validation plans for prototypes and production test systemsParticipate in FMEA/FMECA activitiesCreate engineering, test, and manufacturing documentationCross-Functional Product DevelopmentYou'll work closely with engineers across:ASIC developmentFirmware and embedded systemsFPGASilicon photonicsMEMSMechanical engineeringManufacturing and product developmentYou'll also help establish scalable electrical test methodologies as the company's technology moves toward higher-volume production.What We're Looking ForBS or MS in Electrical EngineeringApproximately 5–8+ years of industry experience in electrical hardware test, validation, or designStrong hands-on experience with PCBAs, board bring-up, electrical debugging, and hardware validationExperience developing test automation using Python or a similar scripting languageExcellent laboratory skills using oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, waveform generators, electronic loads, logic analyzers, and related instrumentationAbility to troubleshoot hardware at the board and component level and perform structured root-cause analysisExperience or demonstrated capability with PCB design, schematic capture, and board developmentExperience with Altium Designer; schematic and layout experience strongly preferredFamiliarity with embedded systems and hardware/software integrationHands-on soldering capability, including components down to approximately 0402Strong technical communication and documentation skillsParticularly Relevant ExperienceExperience in any of the following would be especially valuable:Semiconductor or ASIC testWafer-level testing or wafer probersCustom electrical test fixturesAutomated hardware validation systemsPCB/PCBA design and developmentNPI and transition from prototype to productionSilicon photonics, optical hardware, or high-speed electronicsFMEA/FMECA or reliability engineeringWhy This Opportunity?This role should be particularly compelling for an engineer who has worked within a larger organization where responsibilities are divided between R&D, electrical design, validation, test, and manufacturing, but who now wants broader ownership.Rather than simply receiving finished hardware and executing validation against it, you'll have the opportunity to influence how the hardware is designed, build the systems used to test it, bring up new boards, debug failures at the component level, and help move a fundamentally new technology toward production.It's a highly hands-on environment with significant technical ownership and direct exposure to a multidisciplinary team working at the intersection of AI infrastructure, semiconductors, silicon photonics, MEMS, and advanced hardware development.