Sr Staff Engineer, Factory Board Test (AI2502) - San Jose, California, United States
$155,400 - $248,600 USD yearly
Originally posted 1 June 2026 by the employer.
About the role
The Sr Staff Engineer, Factory Board Test defines and drives the board-level test strategy for the MLSoC™ platform and associated printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs). The position architects end-to-end test solutions spanning Design for Testability (DfT), In-Circuit Test (ICT), and functional board test from prototype through high-volume manufacturing.
What you'll do
- Define and own the full board test strategy for high-speed PCBAs, integrating ICT, flying-probe, and functional test methodologies. - Partner with PCB layout and digital/analog hardware design teams early in the design cycle to implement DfT requirements including test points, bed-of-nails access planning, and test pad placement. - Architect, implement, and maintain functional test sequences to validate power delivery networks, clock domains, memory interfaces, high-speed I/O (PCIe, USB, Ethernet, MIPI), and SoC boot. - Define electrical and mechanical requirements for bed-of-nails and custom functional test fixtures, collaborating with fabrication vendors through bring-up and qualification. - Develop and maintain automated test software in Python and/or C/C++ for execution, data logging, and integration with manufacturing execution systems (MES). - Lead board-level failure analysis using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG debuggers, and network analyzers to drive root-cause and corrective action (RCCA). - Drive test readiness across EVT, DVT, and PVT phases, supporting contract manufacturers with test program transfers and ongoing sustaining engineering.
What you'll need
- BS or MS in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering with 12+ years of hardware engineering experience, including 7+ years dedicated to PCB board test development and architecture. - Hands-on experience with In-Circuit Test (ICT), flying-probe, and functional board test across complex, high-layer-count PCBAs. - Deep technical understanding of high-speed digital interfaces, including PCIe Gen 3/4/5, DDR4/5, USB 3.x, Ethernet, and MIPI CSI-2/D-PHY. - Experience testing and validating power delivery networks (PDN) and high-speed signal integrity on SoC-based boards. - Proficiency in Python or C/C++ for automated test scripting, instrument control (SCPI/VISA), data analysis, and integration with MES/TDM systems. - Hands-on proficiency with bench instruments including oscilloscopes, signal/spectrum analyzers, power supplies, DMMs, logic analyzers, and JTAG debug probes. - Demonstrated experience deploying and supporting test programs at contract manufacturers (CMs).
Nice to have
- Knowledge of IPC standards (IPC-A-610, IPC-7711) and SMT/PCB assembly processes. - Practical experience programming and maintaining ATE platforms such as Teradyne TestStation/ICT, Keysight (Agilent) 3070, GenRad, or equivalent.
This role has been open 111 days — well above the 51-day median for Hardware Systems Engineering roles.
Hardware Systems Engineering · AI ML Hardware
|
Open roles in category
992
|
Median days open
51 d
|
Median salary
$154k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, and who else is hiring
| Metric | SiMa.ai | All employers we track in this specialty (992 roles · 104 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 1 | 992 |
| Open roles in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family | 8 | 6296 · 145 employers |
| Median days open | 111 d | 51 d (+60 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $154k |
Who's hiring in this category
- Intel Corporation · 76 open roles · median 33 d
- KLA Corporation · 63 open roles · median 47 d
- Teradyne · 57 open roles · median 33 d
- NVIDIA · 52 open roles · median 68 d
- Applied Materials · 51 open roles · median 69 d
- AMD · 47 open roles · median 53 d
How we counted: 992 open Hardware Systems Engineering (AI ML Hardware) roles from 104 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 21 Oct 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there — it is counted in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family row. Figures refresh nightly.