# Senior System Test Engineer

**Company:** [Forterra](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/forterra)
**Location:** Clarksburg, MD
**Role:** QA Engineering
**Salary:** $110k – $140k/yr
**Experience:** 5+ years
**Skills:** System Testing, Autonomous Vehicles, Sensor Fusion, V&V, Iso 26262, Mil-Std882E, Can, Ethernet, Lin, CI/CD
**Posted:** 2026-02-17

> Designs and executes test strategies for autonomous vehicle safety-critical functions including navigation and sensor fusion. Requires 5+ years experience in system validation and bachelor's in engineering.

## Job Description

## What you'll do
- Own vehicle-level test strategy for autonomy features and safety-critical functions
- Translate system requirements and user journeys into structured test plans and scenario matrices
- Identify operational edge cases and risk-driven test permutations
- Design and source custom test interfaces, instrumentation, and tooling as needed
- Execute and oversee testing across simulation, benches, and real vehicles
- Analyze results, perform root cause analysis, and clearly communicate risk and readiness
- Write scripts and tools to monitor metrics, automate checks, and accelerate debugging
- Partner with Systems, Software, Hardware, and Safety to define V&V strategy
- Provide testability feedback during design and requirement reviews
- Represent Product Validation in program milestones and readiness discussions

## Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field
- 5+ years of experience in system test, validation, integration, or V&V roles
- Hands-on experience testing, troubleshooting hardware or software systems
- Customer-focused mindset and sense of quality
- Proven experience designing and executing system-level tests
- Experience analyzing complex failures across hardware, software, and integration boundaries
- Working knowledge of autonomous or complex cyber-physical systems
- Flexible team player with good communication skills, able to work in fast-paced environment
- Willingness to travel for testing and field support (up to ~25%)

## Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with automotive and defense safety standards such as ISO 26262 and/or MIL-STD882E
- Experience working on DoD programs
- Working understanding of autonomous system architectures including perception, planning, and control subsystems
- Understanding of automotive electronics and familiarity with communication protocols such as Ethernet, CAN, and LIN
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines, data pipelines, or automated test frameworks

## Compensation
**US Salary Range: $110,000—$140,000 annually** (plus equity and competitive benefits).

## Similar roles

- [Senior Engineer, Systems Test (R5038)](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/349bb981-aa41-4302-af64-69b1eb6d4c55) - Shield AI - Washington, DC - $110k – $170k/yr
- [R&D Test Engineer, Senior](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/0d6a8c62-6e78-4edc-859d-2e52045f4d3e) - 9 Mothers - Austin, TX - $110k – $155k/yr
- [Senior Verification and Validation Engineer (R4835)](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/5c211fea-a6a6-46ac-a19a-1e6055f1db64) - Shield AI - Dallas, TX - $110k – $170k/yr
- [Senior QA Engineer](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/4c760e7b-bc5b-46d6-a87a-6a401b1f8c5a) - Vestmark - Boston, MA - $107k – $125k/yr
- [Senior Engineer, Software Integration and Test (R4461)](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/790be95b-032c-494c-b7f8-08a7a9245593) - Shield AI - San Diego, CA - $114k – $171k/yr

**Apply:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/f0aa8606-25da-483a-81e0-5644c67bc4c6
**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/f0aa8606-25da-483a-81e0-5644c67bc4c6