Software Engineer, Test & Automation

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain station control software for optical/electrical/MEMS test platforms (e.g., Python/C++/LabVIEW or similar).
• Implement instrument drivers for lasers, detectors, motion controllers, FPGA boards, MEMS control modules, etc.
• Own data acquisition pipelines (from sensor readout → structured test results → database/logging).
• Design modular test frameworks that support rapid test case development for validation & reliability workflows.
• Collaborate with hardware, optical, MEMS, firmware, and validation teams to define and translate station requirements.
• Enable automation of repetitive validation tasks to reduce test time and improve coverage.
• Develop UI or scripting interfaces that enable validation engineers to configure and run experiments confidently.
• Support failure analysis by instrumenting stations for deeper debug modes and data capture.
• Scale station platforms from prototype “bench rigs” to reproducible, documented systems for multiple lab uses.
• Ensure software is robust, version-controlled, and documented (Git-based workflows, modular codebase).

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Mechatronics, or related field.
• 5–7+ years writing software for lab equipment, automated test setups, semiconductor/optics validation, or hardware-in-the-loop systems.
• Experience developing Python/C++ control software interfacing with hardware.
• Familiar with test automation frameworks (pytest, PyVISA, LabVIEW, etc.).
• Worked with one or more of: optical instrumentation, motion stages, FPGA/ASIC test boards, MEMS/electromechanical devices.
• Prior experience in logging, configuration management, and structured result visualization.
• Comfortable partnering with hardware engineers and systems validation engineers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical findings clearly to both experts and non-experts.
• Create comprehensive written documentation, including software process flows, SOPs, and work instructions.

Preferred Skills

• Exposure to hands-on testing and validation of silicon photonics, MEMS, or semiconductor devices.
• Knowledge of data structuring for reliability tracking and parametric drift analysis.
• Experience scaling lab setups toward pilot-line & production line testing frameworks.
• Familiarity with Docker, CI/CD for lab code, or deploying test infrastructure at scale.

What Makes This Role Unique

• You are defining the foundation for how a category-defining optical switch is validated.
• Your stations will shape how quickly we discover issues, prove yield stability, and accelerate time-to-market.
• You’ll work directly with some of the Bay Area’s leading hardware experts across MEMS, optics, firmware, and packaging.
• The faster and more powerful your station infrastructure, the faster nEye wins in the AI interconnect market.