Hardware Test Engineer

Location: San Jose

Department: Hardware Engineering

About Hark

Hark is an artificial intelligence company building advanced, personalized intelligence. One that is proactive, multimodal, and capable of interacting with the world through speech, text, vision, and persistent memory.

We're pairing that intelligence with next-generation hardware to create a universal interface between humans and machines. While today's AI largely operates through chat boxes and decade-old devices, Hark is focused on what comes next: agentic systems that interact naturally with people and the real world.

To get there, we're developing multimodal models and next-generation AI hardware together - designed from the ground up as a single, unified interface for a new era of intelligent systems.

About the Role

We are looking for a Hardware Test Engineer to build the test infrastructure that ensures our AI-powered devices meet quality, reliability, and performance standards at every stage of development. You will own test strategy from board bring-up through mass production, designing fixtures, writing automation scripts, and defining the criteria that decide whether a product ships. From functional test on the bench to burn-in and stress testing at the factory, you will be the last line of defense before our devices reach users.

Responsibilities

• Test Strategy: Define and own the end-to-end test plan across EVT, DVT, PVT, and production milestones.
• Fixture Design: Design and develop custom test fixtures (bed-of-nails, pogo pin, cable harness) for PCBA and system-level testing.
• Test Automation: Write automated test scripts in Python to control instruments, collect data, and generate pass/fail reports.
• Board Bring-Up: Lead electrical bring-up of new PCBAs, debugging power rails, clocks, interfaces, and peripheral functionality.
• Reliability Testing: Plan and execute environmental stress tests including thermal cycling, vibration, drop, and accelerated life testing.
• Production Support: Work with contract manufacturers to deploy and maintain test stations on the factory floor, ensuring yield and throughput targets.
• Failure Analysis: Perform root cause analysis on field returns and test failures using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and X-ray inspection.

Requirements

• Education: BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Test Automation: Strong Python scripting skills for instrument control (SCPI/VISA), data analysis, and test reporting.
• Lab Instrumentation: Expert-level proficiency with oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, spectrum analyzers, and logic analyzers.
• PCB Debugging: Demonstrated ability to bring up and debug complex multi-rail, mixed-signal PCBAs.
• Manufacturing: Experience deploying test systems at contract manufacturers and supporting production ramp.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with boundary scan (JTAG), in-circuit test (ICT), and flying probe test methodologies.
• Background in RF test for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or cellular radios.
• Familiarity with LabVIEW, TestStand, or similar test executive frameworks.
• Experience testing products with cameras, displays, microphones, or other sensor arrays.

The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.