Test Engineer

Salary: $90,000 - $175,000

Shinkei builds robotic systems for the commercial fishing industry. Our mission is to harness technology to democratize artisanal food.

We are seeking hands-on Test Engineers to support the continuous development, verification, and validation of our hardware platforms and related technologies.

In this role, you will refine requirements, plan test campaigns, design test hardware, and analyze data to inform your counterparts on design performance and reliability. Our hardware operates in varied, challenging environments and acts upon semi-random, difficult to control inputs (fish!); understanding and simulation of these factors is paramount to the long term success of our engineering solutions.

The ideal candidate shows comprehensive ownership of their work and demonstrates technical competency across mechanical, electrical, and software domains.

Responsibilities and requirements are broken down by level, with each level inheriting the level below. Level is determined through the interview process, and compensation is set by level.

WHAT YOU GET TO DO:

All Levels

• Develop Acceptance Test Plans to verify build quality and readiness for field deployment

• Develop Qualification Test Plans to verify design requirements and inform predictive maintenance schedules

• Develop methodology and design solutions to simulate field conditions, process inputs (fish), accelerated life degradation in repeatable, controllable lab environments

• Turn test plans into clear, repeatable procedures with technician teammates, and capture results in a traceable, auditable form

• Support rapid iteration and experimental development in a fast-paced R&D environment

• Support requirements definition and refinement: prioritization, traceability to business goals, and verification cases

• Investigate failures hands-on, collecting data and isolating root causes

• Review test data and provide design teams with actionable feedback

Junior Engineer

• Update, improve, or retrofit existing test plans and procedures, finding creative solutions to streamline testing

• Design fixtures, mounts, and other mechanical elements, and integrate COTS and custom electrical and mechanical components onto test stands

• Modify and extend test scripts, using software to automate routine work and analyze data

Engineer

• Own test plans, procedures, and outcomes from requirements definition through verification

• Design complex electromechanical test sub-assemblies and stands that replicate field conditions and biological inputs

• Support root cause analysis and update test coverage to prevent future escapes

Senior Engineer

• Define, develop, and enforce department standards for design rigor, verification methods, and documentation

• Oversee large work packages and long term goals, mentor engineers, and brief leadership on status and risk

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

All Levels:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, or Robotics Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field

• Ownership and ability to effectively manage assigned work: providing status, highlighting risk, and owning mistakes

• Curiosity across disciplines, and a track record of getting competent in unfamiliar domains quickly

• Effective, proactive communication in day-to-day collaboration and technical milestone reviews

• Comfort in a fast-paced R&D environment, and willingness to jump in hands-on, including fish handling, wet and cold conditions, and occasional travel

Junior Engineer

• 1 to 2 years of hands-on experience in test, robotics, manufacturing, or a similar technical environment

• Demonstrated mechanical and electrical design with first principles

• Working proficiency in a scripting language (Python), and the ability to comprehend more complex code

• Demonstrated troubleshooting of electromechanical or similar integrated systems

Engineer

• 3 to 6 years of test, validation, or reliability engineering experience

• Demonstrated design of complex electromechanical test sub-assemblies and integrated test stands

• Experience in development or refinement of requirements and related verification test cases for demanding environmental conditions

Senior Engineer

• 7 or more years of test, validation, or reliability engineering experience

• Experience mentoring more junior engineers and growing department capabilities through effective feedback and shared resource development
  

BONUS IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH:

• Robotics, automation, or mechatronic systems

• Hardware that operates in wet, marine, or corrosive environments

• Applied statistics, data analysis, and other tools related to quantitative measurement

• Linux-based systems and command-line tools

• Cameras and machine vision applications

• Hydraulics, high/low voltage electronics, and control systems/theory

• Aquaculture, fish biology, food processing, or other biological systems

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW:

• This is a 100% on-site role at our El Segundo, CA facility during standard business hours

• Testing regularly involves handling live and dead fish, including processing and post-test clean-up

• Work is often wet, cold, noisy, and physically demanding, with lifting up to 40 to 50 lbs and standing for extended periods

• Expect occasional travel, a few times per year, to docks and commercial fishing vessels

• Level is determined through the interview process, and compensation is set by level