Manufacturing Test Engineer

WindBorne Systems is supercharging weather models with a unique proprietary data source: a global constellation of next-generation smart weather balloons targeting the most critical atmospheric data. We design, manufacture, and operate our own balloons, using the data they collect to generate otherwise unattainable weather intelligence.

Our mission is to eliminate weather uncertainty, and in the process help humanity adapt to climate change, be that predicting hurricanes or speeding the adoption of renewables. We are building a future in which the planet is instrumented by thousands of our microballoons, eliminating gaps in our understanding of the planet and giving people and businesses the information they need to make critical decisions. The founding team of Stanford engineers was named Forbes 2019 30 under 30 and is backed by top-tier investors, including Khosla Ventures and Footwork VC.

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WindBorne is looking for a Manufacturing Test Engineer to ensure the quality and reliability of our products while we exponentially scale our manufacturing production. You will take ownership of developing and implementing internal testing systems aimed at ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality units to the field. Additionally, you will play a crucial role in diagnosing issues with returned units, identifying root causes, and implementing corrective measures to enhance product reliability and performance. The test role at WindBorne is fairly unusual thanks to a combination of two factors: First, there is still tremendous potential for improvement of the hardware capabilities, even as we simultaneously work to scale. It’s not unreasonable for a major design update to come with a 2x performance improvement, so it’s necessary to rapidly move from R&D to volume production.

Secondly, as a data company, we are both the builders and the users of our hardware, and can freely set the acceptable level of reliability based on operational needs. If we can improve performance by 50% but raise failure rates by 10%, that can be a totally worthwhile trade to get more net data. Your job will be to identify and quantify failure modes, design tests to investigate failures in manufacturing and flight, and generally work to improve manufacturing. You will also work with the responsible design engineers to develop solutions that you will help implement and create testing to ensure they are followed. We're dedicated to helping humanity adapt to climate change as fast as possible, and you can be a part of our mission to make this global societal impact. If you like the idea of working on cutting-edge technology, and working with a fast-moving team, WindBorne is the place for you.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement testing frameworks for manufacturing quality control. This includes creating testing fixtures, collecting and processing data, and designing testing methodologies. 

• Continue and improve the existing testing frameworks of our product.

• Collaborate with the responsible engineers to resolve quality-related issues and implement process improvements.

• Investigate hardware failures in the field and suggest immediate corrective actions.

• Day to day “firefighting” of issues that come up on the manufacturing floor.

• Support new product development projects to ensure quality requirements are met throughout the product lifecycle.

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Skills and Qualifications

Required 

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Manufacturing or similar.

• Prior experience working in Manufacturing preferred.

• Familiarity with mechanical principles, basic coding and data collection, and basic circuits.

• Hands-on experience in prototyping, assembly, or manufacturing.

• Proficiency in root cause analysis techniques and statistical process control methods.

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

• Ability to collaborate effectively across functional teams.

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Nice to have

• Proficiency with Linux operating systems.

• Understanding of electro-mechanical system design and functionality.

• Experience with quality management software and document control systems

• Familiarity with PCB and PCBA manufacturing processes.

• Experience communicating with external vendors, or in supply chain management

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Benefits

• 401(k)

• Dental insurance

• Health insurance

• Vision insurance

• Unlimited PTO

• Stock Option Plan

• Office food and beverages

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Salary

• $70k-$100k** We are considering a range of backgrounds and experience levels for this position and adjust our offers accordingly to be competitive with market rates.

Location

858 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto, CA. In-person required.