Lead Test Engineer (Firmware)

We are seeking a Lead Firmware Quality & Test Engineer to lead all aspects of pre-release testing and quality assurance for IoT firmware. This role is responsible for controlling quality and compliance throughout the standard Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and driving continuous improvement strategies to accelerate firmware updates without compromising rigorous testing and evaluation standards. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in IoT product development and a strong understanding of compliance requirements for firmware and hardware in EMEA and USA markets.

Responsibilities:

• Establish and maintain firmware quality standards across all phases of the SDLC, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and regulatory requirements.

• Define quality gates, compliance checkpoints, and acceptance criteria for firmware releases.

• Act as the primary authority on firmware compliance, ensuring adherence to EMEA and USA regulatory frameworks, security standards, and interoperability guidelines.

• Develop and maintain risk management strategies, including failure mode analysis and mitigation plans for firmware defects.

• Design and execute comprehensive test plans covering functional, regression, integration, performance, and security testing for embedded firmware.

• Conduct protocol-level validation for IoT connectivity (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, LTE, etc.) and ensure seamless cloud integration.

• Perform hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing and stress testing to validate firmware stability under real-world conditions.

• Oversee interoperability testing across multiple device ecosystems and third-party integrations.

• Ensure OTA (Over-the-Air) update mechanisms are tested for reliability, rollback capability, and security compliance.

• Develop and implement continuous improvement strategies to accelerate firmware release cycles while maintaining rigorous quality standards.

• Introduce test automation frameworks and integrate them into CI/CD pipelines to reduce manual effort and improve test coverage.

• Monitor and analyze quality metrics (defect density, escape rate, test coverage) to identify trends and drive process improvements.

• Champion root cause analysis for defects and lead initiatives to prevent recurrence through design and process enhancements.

Requirements:

• Strong proficiency in C/C++ and scripting languages (Python preferred).

• Hands-on experience with embedded debugging tools, hardware test benches, and protocol analyzers.

• Familiarity with IoT communication protocols (MQTT, CoAP, HTTP) and cloud platforms (AWS IoT, Azure IoT).

• Proven track record of implementing QA processes within SDLC and driving continuous improvement.

• Experience with compliance and certification for IoT firmware and hardware in EMEA and USA markets.

• Knowledge of security testing and vulnerability assessment for connected devices.

• Familiarity with OTA update strategies and interoperability testing.

• Proficiency in English (B2+).