Lead Engineer (Testing)

Driving the development of hardware and software systems for in-house testing of materials, components, sub-assemblies, and robots in ways that recreate the harsh real-world conditions where we expect our robots to work reliably.

Core Responsibilities
Driving comprehensive testing protocols for materials, components, sub-assemblies, and complete robots across performance, durability, and environmental extremes Designing and building custom test fixtures, instrumentation, and automated testing systems for robot-specific characterization Performance validation, failure analysis, and system limits identification through rigorous statistical analysis Providing data-driven feedback and improvement recommendations to hardware and software teams based on testing insights Hard Skills Mechanical/electrical testing with multiple sensors and DAQ (IMU, load cells, joint encoders, torque sensors, accelerometers, thermal sensors, depth cameras, etc.) Statistical analysis and experimental design with programming for test automation (Python/MATLAB/C++) Materials characterization: fatigue, stress, thermal cycling, environmental exposure, vibration analysis Custom test fixture design and rapid prototyping for robot- and environment-specific testing scenarios Robotics systems understanding to develop meaningful performance metrics and failure mode analysis Essential Mindset Adaptability & Startup Resilience: Thrives in uncertain environments with changing priorities, comfortable with resource constraints Communication & Collaboration: Effectively explains technical concepts to diverse audiences and collaborates constructively across teams Ownership & Initiative: Takes full responsibility for outcomes and proactively identifies and solves problems without waiting for direction Learning Agility: Rapidly acquires new skills, stays current with industry trends, and actively shares knowledge with teammates Mission Alignment: Genuinely excited about xTerra's vision, with a deep understanding of target users and problems being solved