Staff Validation & Tools Engineer – Embedded Firmware

ALSO.

Staff Validation & Tools Engineer at ALSO focused on Embedded Firmware and Software Validation. Responsible for validation strategy and tooling architecture across product programs.

Posted 5/9/2026full-timePalo Alto • California • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $170,000 - $210,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

CloudIoTJenkinsLinuxPythonRTOS

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Define the technical vision, architecture, and roadmap for embedded firmware and software validation across product programs.
Design, scale, and maintain SIL and HIL validation infrastructure to support automated system-level testing, regression coverage, release readiness, and issue reproduction.
Build and evolve validation frameworks that improve test coverage, execution speed, reliability, traceability, and quality reporting across firmware and software releases.
Establish clear validation metrics, including test coverage, pass/fail trends, defect escape rate, regression health, automation coverage, and release readiness indicators.
Lead end-to-end validation planning for new features, firmware releases, connectivity workflows, and system-level product behavior.
Partner with Hardware, Firmware, Systems, Mobile, Cloud, and Product teams to ensure requirements are testable, risks are understood, and validation plans are aligned before implementation.
Lead technical root-cause analysis for complex system issues across hardware, firmware, embedded software, connectivity, and test infrastructure.
Develop and improve automated test tooling using Python-based frameworks such as Robot Framework, Pytest, or similar tools.
Integrate validation workflows into CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, GitLab CI, or similar systems to enable repeatable, scalable release validation.
Use SIL/HIL environments, embedded debug tools, logs, sniffers, and hardware interfaces to reproduce, isolate, and resolve defects.
Mentor junior and mid-level engineers on validation strategy, debugging methods, test design, automation best practices, and quality ownership.
Communicate validation status, technical risks, quality trends, and release readiness clearly to engineering and product leadership.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
8+ years of experience in embedded software validation, firmware testing, software quality engineering, or validation tools development.
A track record of leading validation strategy or test architecture for complex embedded, connected, automotive, mobility, IoT, or software-defined vehicle platforms.
Demonstrated experience building or scaling automated validation frameworks for firmware, embedded software, system-level testing, or hardware-in-the-loop environments.
Hands-on experience testing RTOS-based or Linux-based embedded systems.
Strong understanding of embedded architectures, microcontrollers, bootloaders, firmware update flows, hardware/software interfaces, and board-level debug workflows.
Practical experience with embedded debug tools and interfaces such as JTAG, serial consoles, SWD, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, or equivalent tools.
Experience validating connectivity, location services, mobile-connected features, or wireless technologies such as cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE, or GNSS.
Strong programming and scripting skills, especially in Python, with experience using automation frameworks such as Robot Framework, Pytest, or similar tools.
Working knowledge of CI/CD systems and automated validation workflows using Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, or similar platforms.
Experience with SIL and HIL validation environments, including test execution, automation, reporting, defect reproduction, and regression analysis.
Familiarity with test management, requirements management, and bug tracking tools used for release reporting, validation traceability, and quality metrics.
Hands-on experience with embedded and automotive communication protocols such as UDS, XCP, CAN, CAN-FD, I2C, SPI, UART, USB, USB-PD, or similar interfaces.
Practical experience using automotive network analysis or sniffer tools such as Vector CANoe, CANalyzer, or equivalent tools.
Ability to lead root-cause analysis across hardware, firmware, software, connectivity, and validation infrastructure.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain validation strategy, quality risks, technical trade-offs, and release readiness to engineering and product stakeholders.
A passion for mentoring engineers, improving validation discipline, and building a quality-first culture in a fast-moving startup environment.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Robust health coverage. Excellent health, dental and vision insurance covered up to 100% by ALSO with FSA & HSA options.
One Medical membership and dedicated insurance advocates.
Rich fertility and family building benefits with Progyny.
Flexible time off.
401(k) match.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

embedded software validationfirmware testingsoftware quality engineeringautomated validation frameworksRTOS-based systemsLinux-based systemsembedded architecturesmicrocontrollersPythontest design

Soft Skills

leadershipcommunicationmentoringroot-cause analysiscollaborationproblem-solvingquality ownershipstrategic planningtechnical risk assessmentquality-first culture