Senior Test Development Engineer Jobs in California
Senior Test Development Engineer jobs in California are among the most actively hired in the country, concentrated in semiconductor, aerospace and defense, medical device, and consumer electronics manufacturing. The largest hiring hubs are San Jose, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where companies like Qualcomm, Northrop Grumman, and Broadcom have deep engineering roots and consistent headcount at every level from associate through senior. The most in-demand specialties in California are hardware validation, automated test equipment design, and embedded systems verification. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 28+ Senior Test Development Engineer jobs
Location:
Alhambra, CA
Job Summary:
Seeking a full-time Senior Test Engineer who will report to Director of Backend Fab Production. The Individual in this role will be able to design and implement efficient and streamlined automated production test setup and programs for fiberoptics laser alignment and test systems in a manufacturing environment. The Senior Test Design Engineer position will be based at Semtech Photonics Products group located in Alhambra, CA.
The following is a list of current essential job responsibilities of the position. Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time at its discretion.
Responsibilities:
- Ownership of production test stations design, implementation, and continuous improvement of manufacturing test efficiency.
- Develop and deploy automated test stations with Active Alignment and Pick-and-Place machine integration.
- Collaborate with Device Design Engineering teams to understand the performance requirements and establish production tests and performance specifications.
- Coordinate with engineering and quality teams to validate new testing approaches and methods for production.
- Work closely with the software development engineers to augment production test systems to support new test updates and features for product specifications.
- Understand the manufacturing test failures, troubleshooting, root cause analysis and correction on the production test stations.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, electronics, manufacturing, or related technical field
- Minimum 10+ years of relevant semiconductor lasers automated test stations development experience
- Must have extensive experience in Active Alignment Systems and Pick-and-Place machines development and system integration.
- Will have led end-to-end development of automated test stations, incorporating Active Alignment Systems and Pick-and-Place machines to optimize manufacturing precision and efficiency.
- Advanced knowledge of wafer probe test methodologies, ATE systems, parametric testing, and yield analysis
- Experience in semiconductor wafer fabrication and product test environment preferred
- Proficient in at least one programming language (VBA, C/C++, or Python)
- Knowledgeable about automatic test equipment implementations a must
- Proficient with fiberoptics test instruments such as semiconductor laser controllers, optical power meters, and optical spectrum analyzers
- Must have extensive experience in semiconductor lasers and photodiodes manufacturing environment
- Demonstrated organizational skill and the ability to manage multiple tasks
Desired Qualifications:
- Programing with APIs for test instruments
- Programing and scripting in Windows OS
- MATLAB
Travel Requirements
- May need to travel for International CM for production stations implementation.
The intent of this job description is to describe the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. Incumbents may be required to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically included in this description.
All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
A reasonable estimate of the pay range for this position is $117,000-165,000. There are several factors taken into consideration in determining base salary, including but not limited to: job-related qualifications, skills, education and experience, as well as job location and the value of other elements of an employee’s total compensation package.
Location:
Alhambra, CA
Job Summary:
Seeking a full-time Senior Test Engineer who will report to Director of Backend Fab Production. The Individual in this role will be able to design and implement efficient and streamlined automated production test setup and programs for fiberoptics laser alignment and test systems in a manufacturing environment. The Senior Test Design Engineer position will be based at Semtech Photonics Products group located in Alhambra, CA.
The following is a list of current essential job responsibilities of the position. Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time at its discretion.
Responsibilities:
- Ownership of production test stations design, implementation, and continuous improvement of manufacturing test efficiency.
- Develop and deploy automated test stations with Active Alignment and Pick-and-Place machine integration.
- Collaborate with Device Design Engineering teams to understand the performance requirements and establish production tests and performance specifications.
- Coordinate with engineering and quality teams to validate new testing approaches and methods for production.
- Work closely with the software development engineers to augment production test systems to support new test updates and features for product specifications.
- Understand the manufacturing test failures, troubleshooting, root cause analysis and correction on the production test stations.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, electronics, manufacturing, or related technical field
- Minimum 10+ years of relevant semiconductor lasers automated test stations development experience
- Must have extensive experience in Active Alignment Systems and Pick-and-Place machines development and system integration.
- Will have led end-to-end development of automated test stations, incorporating Active Alignment Systems and Pick-and-Place machines to optimize manufacturing precision and efficiency.
- Advanced knowledge of wafer probe test methodologies, ATE systems, parametric testing, and yield analysis
- Experience in semiconductor wafer fabrication and product test environment preferred
- Proficient in at least one programming language (VBA, C/C++, or Python)
- Knowledgeable about automatic test equipment implementations a must
- Proficient with fiberoptics test instruments such as semiconductor laser controllers, optical power meters, and optical spectrum analyzers
- Must have extensive experience in semiconductor lasers and photodiodes manufacturing environment
- Demonstrated organizational skill and the ability to manage multiple tasks
Desired Qualifications:
- Programing with APIs for test instruments
- Programing and scripting in Windows OS
- MATLAB
Travel Requirements
- May need to travel for International CM for production stations implementation.
The intent of this job description is to describe the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. Incumbents may be required to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically included in this description.
All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
A reasonable estimate of the pay range for this position is $117,000-165,000. There are several factors taken into consideration in determining base salary, including but not limited to: job-related qualifications, skills, education and experience, as well as job location and the value of other elements of an employee’s total compensation package.
See All 28 Senior Test Development Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSenior Test Development Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Test Development Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- PlayStation9
- NVIDIA4
- Coherent2
- Ellipsis Health2
- SiTime2
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software20
- Electronics & Hardware6
- Manufacturing4
- Healthcare & Medical Services2
- Automotive1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior test development engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline
- Five or more years of experience designing and developing automated test systems or test equipment
- Proficiency with test platforms such as NI TestStand, LabVIEW, or Python-based frameworks
- Hands-on experience testing hardware at the board, system, or integrated circuit level
- Demonstrated ability to write and maintain test plans, test cases, and validation documentation
- Familiarity with JTAG, boundary scan, ATE platforms, or semiconductor characterization methods
Senior Test Development Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior test development engineer in California?
The standard path is a bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering, followed by several years in test, validation, or hardware engineering roles. California does not require a state-issued license for this position, though a Professional Engineer license from the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists can strengthen candidacy for some defense and government-contract roles. Most employers in California's semiconductor and aerospace sectors promote from within, so starting in a test or quality engineering role at a large California firm is the most direct route.
How much do senior test development engineers make in California?
Senior test development engineers in California earn a median of about $128,740 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $65,890 for the lowest 10% to over $201,070 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire senior test development engineers in California?
Employers hiring senior test development engineers in California right now include PlayStation, NVIDIA, and Coherent, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's dense concentration of semiconductor fabs, defense contractors, and medical device manufacturers means demand is distributed across the state rather than tied to a single industry.
Which California cities have the most senior test development engineer jobs?
Santa Clara, San Francisco, and San Mateo have the most senior test development engineer openings in California. San Jose leads because of the Silicon Valley semiconductor and systems-on-chip ecosystem, San Diego is driven by Qualcomm's large hardware validation organization and the region's defense electronics base, and Los Angeles reflects the aerospace and defense prime contractors headquartered along the South Bay corridor.
Are there remote senior test development engineer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Senior test development engineers typically work with physical hardware, lab equipment, and production test fixtures that require on-site presence. About 14% of senior test development engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, and those tend to concentrate on the software-side functions such as test script development, framework architecture, or test data analysis rather than hands-on bench work.
How can I get hired as a senior test development engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an associate or junior test engineer role at a California semiconductor, defense, or medical device company, where structured rotation and mentorship programs exist at firms like Broadcom, Raytheon, and Medtronic's California facilities. A degree in electrical or computer engineering combined with a personal or academic hardware project, LabVIEW certification, or experience with test automation in a university lab gives candidates a clear edge. Adjacent roles in quality engineering, manufacturing engineering, or FPGA design are common lateral moves that lead directly into test development.
Where can I find and apply to senior test development engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to senior test development engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Search the listings for roles that match your experience and location, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 28 Senior Test Development Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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