Senior Manufacturing Test Engineer - Power Electronics

Department: Engineering

Location: Scotts Valley

Employment Type: FullTime

Senior Manufacturing Test Engineer - Power Electronics

Heron Power is a well-funded startup building next-generation power conversion hardware for the 21st-century grid. Backed by top investors and led by veterans who have shipped gigawatts of power electronics, we are developing advanced converters (inverters & rectifiers) for renewables, energy storage, data centers, and grid applications.

We are looking for a Manufacturing Test Engineer who will build from the ground up the automated test infrastructure that allows us to ship high-reliability, high-power systems at scale.

What You’ll Own

You will design, architect, and deliver complete automated test systems across the full lifecycle:

• PCBA functional test (bed-of-nails, pogo, interface fixtures)

• Subsystem validation

• High-power / high-voltage end-of-line (EOL) testing

• Bi-directional converter test cells (source + sink capability)

Key Responsibilities

• Own test architecture and coverage strategy from PCBA through full system

• Design and build high-power test cells including bidirectional sources, regenerative loads, HV measurement chains, protection systems, and safety interlocks

• Develop automated test sequences (power cycling, efficiency mapping, transient response, fault injection, protection validation)

• Drive Design-for-Test (DFT) with hardware and firmware teams

• Own fixture design, instrumentation integration, automation software (strong Python preferred), deployment, and long-term sustainment

• Continuously improve yield, debug speed, and test reliability in a production environment

This is a high-agency role. The test systems you build will directly determine how fast Heron can iterate, validate, and ship products.

What You Bring

Must-Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent practical experience)

• Strong experience designing and delivering automated test systems for high-voltage / high-power electronics (inverters, converters, or similar)

• Demonstrated end-to-end ownership of test systems — from concept and architecture through deployment and sustainment

• Hands-on expertise with instrumentation (oscilloscopes, power analyzers, electronic loads, DAQs, DMMs)

• Strong Python experience for test automation (preferred) or deep experience with LabVIEW/TestStand + willingness to go deep on Python

• Solid fundamentals in circuits, power electronics, and high-voltage safety

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience with bi-directional power testing or regenerative loads

• PCBA manufacturing functional test and yield improvement

• HIL systems or embedded firmware validation

• High-volume production test deployment

Why Join Heron Power?

• Work on technically hard, high-impact problems in power electronics

• High ownership and rapid learning curve

• Direct influence on company velocity (your testers = faster iteration & shipping)

• Competitive salary + meaningful equity in a well-funded company

• Collaborative, first-principles culture with seasoned leaders

Salary: $150,000 – $200,000+ base + meaningful equity