Senior Software Test Automation Engineer

At Alert Venture Foundry (AVF), we’re building world-class robotics startups from scratch. Our ventures combine sophisticated embedded hardware, real-time software, cloud services, and intuitive user interfaces. As these systems grow in complexity, automated testing becomes essential for moving fast without compromising safety or reliability.

We’re looking for a Senior Test Automation Engineer with deep experience in testing robotics and physical systems. In this role, you’ll lead the design of test infrastructure across multiple layers of the stack - from motion control and sensor integration to cloud-based interfaces and dashboards. You’ll work closely with engineers across software, firmware, and hardware to validate performance in simulation and in the real world.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in hands-on environments, enjoys cross-disciplinary collaboration, and wants to shape testing practices for systems that span atoms and bits.

What you’ll do:

• Design and maintain automated test frameworks for robotic platforms, with a strong emphasis on physical system behaviors and real-world reliability.
• Develop simulation-based testing environments (e.g., Gazebo, Isaac Sim, or custom HIL/SIL setups).
• Implement hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) test pipelines.
• Automate tests for motion control, sensor accuracy, comms stability, error handling, and regression detection.
• Build test integration into CI/CD workflows (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, etc.) to enable scalable, repeatable testing.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to define unit, integration, and system validation strategies.
• Support internal tooling for data capture, visualization, telemetry, and debugging.
• Contribute to light project coordination, triage, and iteration planning, as part of AVF’s collaborative engineering culture.

What we’re looking for:

• 6 years of experience in QA, SQA, or test automation for robotics, hardware-integrated systems, or embedded products.
• Strong skills in Python for scripting, test automation, and data tooling.
• Experience designing and running tests for physical systems: motion subsystems, sensors, embedded devices, or mechatronics.
• Familiarity with robotics simulation tools like Gazebo, Isaac Sim, Webots, or Unity-based platforms.
• Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and tools such as GitHub Actions or Jenkins.
• Comfortable working closely with hardware and firmware teams.
• Strong grasp of testing best practices: unit, integration, system, regression, performance, and safety-critical workflows.
• Experience testing web apps, dashboards, or cloud services (e.g., Selenium, Playwright, API testing tools).
• Bachelor's or Master’s in Computer Engineering, Robotics, or a related technical field.

Preferred, but not required:

• Familiarity with ROS2, middleware integration, or logging/telemetry systems.
• Exposure to embedded-level testing, edge compute devices, or safety-critical software.
• Interest or aptitude for light project leadership, coordination, or cross-team planning (no prior PM experience required).

Why AVF?

• Ensure the safety, reliability, and performance of innovative robotics systems, from lab to field.
• Build foundational infrastructure that supports rapid iteration across multiple ventures.
• Work alongside expert engineers across hardware, embedded, and software domains.
• Influence testing culture and engineering discipline in a dynamic, high-ownership environment.

AVF is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity across all dimensions. If you’re excited to test robotic systems in the real world, and want to help bridge the gap between physical reliability and software agility, we encourage you to apply.