Electrical Hardware Test Engineer
nEye.ai
Apply to this jobAbout us
nEye.ai, a well-funded optical switch startup, is poised to revolutionize the future of data centers. nEye’s MEMS-based silicon photonics optical circuit switches (OCS) eliminate critical bottlenecks in AI processing by enabling direct optical connections among thousands of GPUs and memory units. The company's OCS is an ultra-low power consumption, high radix, compact chip-scale design, offering hyperscale data centers enhanced performance, efficiency, and scalability.
Job Overview
We're looking for a hands-on Electrical Hardware Test Engineer to validate the electronic systems that power our optical switching platform. You'll develop test systems for semiconductors and PCBAs, find creative ways to test difficult components, debug complex electrical issues, and validate ASICs, boards, and subsystems as they move from prototype into production.
Beyond test work, you'll contribute to PCB design and prototype development. The ideal candidate is a creative, out-of-the-box thinker who enjoys building custom test stations and solving hard problems at the intersection of electronics, embedded systems, and semiconductor technology.
Key Responsibilities
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Design, build, and program custom electrical test stations for ASICs, circuit boards, and other subsystems
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Evaluate, select, and procure test equipment with third-party vendors (custom fixtures, sockets, wafer probers, etc.)
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Integrate test equipment with custom electronics and software to create custom test protocols
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Design R&D, production-test, and product circuit boards: architecture block diagrams, component selection, schematic design, PCB layout, and management of fabrication and assembly
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Perform board bring-up and verification of new hardware
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Debug hardware using standard bench equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, electronic loads, etc.)
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Identify root causes of hardware failures and drive corrective actions with cross-functional teams
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Develop and execute validation plans for prototypes and production test systems
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Participate in FMEA/FMECA analysis and create engineering and manufacturing documentation
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Work closely with ASIC, firmware, FPGA, photonics, and mechanical engineering teams
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Help establish scalable electrical test methodologies as our products mature
Custom Test Station Development
Electronics Design Support
Cross-Functional Engineering
Required Qualifications & Skills
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BS or MS in Electrical Engineering
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5–8 years of industry experience in electronics test or design
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Hands-on experience with electronics bring-up, debugging, and hardware testing
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Experience with test automation using Python or a similar scripting language
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Strong lab skills with standard bench equipment (power supplies, oscilloscopes, multimeters, waveform generators, electronic loads, logic analyzers)
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Soldering skills, including small components down to 0402
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Experience with Altium Designer (schematic and layout preferred)
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Familiarity with embedded systems and hardware/software integration
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Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills, with excellent technical communication and documentation
Preferred Experience
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Semiconductor or ASIC test systems (wafer probers, etc.)
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Designing custom test fixtures or automated validation systems
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FMEA/FMECA or other reliability engineering experience
Compensation (from employer):
150000–200000 USD per year
Summary
Design/test electrical systems for optical switching hardware, develop test stations, debug, and support PCB development.
Job title
Electrical Hardware Test Engineer
Experience level
5–8 years
Minimum experience
5+ years exp
Industry
optical technology
Location requirements
Santa Clara, CA; on-site preferred, possibly hybrid
Salary
$150k–$200k
Management role
No
Required skills
Preferred skills
Specializations
Structured locations inferred from the posting.
Santa Clara, CA, USA