Firmware Validation & Verification Engineer

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Job Type: contract

Job Summary

We are seeking a hands-on Validation & Verification Engineer to support the testing and validation of embedded electrical, firmware, and power management products.

The ideal candidate will have experience in hardware, firmware, and system-level validation, along with Python-based test automation, hardware troubleshooting, communication protocols, compliance testing, and defect analysis. This role involves working in a laboratory environment and collaborating closely with hardware, firmware, and systems engineering teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute validation plans, test cases, and test procedures.

• Perform hardware, firmware, and system-level testing.

• Conduct both black-box and white-box testing.

• Develop and maintain Python-based test automation frameworks.

• Troubleshoot hardware, firmware, and communication-related issues.

• Perform root cause analysis, defect verification, and failure analysis.

• Support product compliance and functional safety testing.

• Develop requirement-based test cases and validation procedures.

• Perform system integration and end-to-end validation testing.

• Collaborate with hardware, firmware, electrical, and systems engineering teams.

• Work independently in a laboratory environment to identify and resolve product issues.

Required Qualifications

• 4–5 years of experience in embedded systems testing, product validation, or Validation & Verification engineering.

• Strong understanding of analog, digital, and power electronics.

• Ability to understand and troubleshoot electrical schematics at the circuit level.

• Hands-on experience using:

  • Digital Multimeters (DMM)

  • Oscilloscopes

  • Logic Analyzers

  • Waveform/Function Generators

• Experience with Python programming and test automation.

• Working knowledge of C/C++.

• Experience with embedded system debuggers.

• Understanding of software architecture and embedded systems.

• Experience with black-box and white-box testing.

• Experience creating and executing test plans and test procedures.

• Strong hardware troubleshooting and system integration skills.

• Experience with root cause analysis and requirement-based testing.

Communication Protocols

Experience with one or more of the following:

• TCP/IP

• Modbus

• I2C

• SPI

• SCI/UART

• Bluetooth

• Zigbee

• Wi-Fi

Standards & Compliance

• Knowledge of UL standards.

• Experience with functional safety testing.

• Experience working in compliance-driven testing environments.

Nice-to-Have Skills

Experience with any of the following is highly desirable:

• Protection curves

• Rogowski coils

• Current Transformers (CT)

• GOOSE communication

• Automatic Transfer Systems (ATS)

• Circuit breakers

• Electrical protection products

• Power management products

• Industrial control systems