Staff Test Engineer

Lightship

South San Francisco, CA, United States

Posted on: 2025-06-04

Category: emobility

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Employment type:

Full time

Experience required:

Intermediate

Salary

Salary not provided

About the company:

Lightship is an early-stage hardware startup launched in 2020 by Tesla alumni that is bringing the $26B recreational vehicle industry into the electric age. Based in San Francisco and Boulder, Lightship is designing and producing an aerodynamic, battery-powered trailer that liberates travelers from the noise, emissions, and range anxiety of gas RVing.

Overview

Lightship is the first American all-electric recreational vehicle manufacturer currently developing an aerodynamic, battery-powered trailer for the electric age. As the macro transition to an all-electric transportation ecosystem accelerates, Lightship is bringing the increased convenience and superior performance that electrification offers to a pastime enjoyed by over 11 million American families.

Honoring Diverse Perspectives

Lightship is committed to hiring and developing top talent from diverse backgrounds. We believe representing and supporting diverse groups is key to the success of our team members, customers, shareholders and the achievement of our mission and vision. We operate in a collaborative environment with a flat organizational structure and expect a high degree of integrity, autonomy and creativity from all members of the team.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Staff Test Engineer to join our team in South San Francisco, CA. As a member of our Test Engineering team, you will play a crucial role in the development and validation of the propulsion and power system on our purpose-built electric RV. This role will involve component, sub-system/buck, and vehicle-level test planning, coordination, and execution.

Onsite/Hybrid Work

Hybrid roles at Lightship require onsite work from our offices Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Tuesdays and Fridays are optional work from home days, when your work will be executed more successfully from home. Speak to the hiring manager to learn more.

Employee Benefits & Philosophy - Applies to Full Time Employees only

- Healthcare, Dental, Vision

- 401k

- Flexible Paid Time Off - that we actually want you to use!

- 8 Company Holidays + the company observes a period of scheduled downtime during the end of the year for a week, allowing all employees to enjoy a break

- 12 weeks paid parental leave

- $2,000 per year towards an RV trip of your own &/or professional development opportunities - we call this a LightTrip

Lightship offers all of its full time employees and their dependents full benefits including health, dental and vision insurance and covers 100% of the insurance premium. We are on a mission to create a more healthful all-electric experience for a pastime that millions of families enjoy and believe strongly that our team should not have to worry about quality healthcare for themselves or their loved ones along the way.

Responsibilities

Own the design, development, and execution of comprehensive propulsion and power system testing programs, including product and requirements validation, safety, and reliability testing

Work in partnership with a small team of engineers and engineering technicians to complete propulsion and power system bring-up and integration efforts

Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including design, product, engineering, and manufacturing, to define test requirements, develop test plans, and execute test sequences effectively

Organize and execute field-testing excursions to testing tracks, campgrounds, or other remote areas

Analyze and interpret data and results to identify product issues, and provide actionable recommendations to cross-functional teams to drive product improvement

Lead continuous improvement efforts in testing methodologies, processes, and tools to optimize efficiency and effectiveness

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. Advanced degree is a plus

Minimum of 7 years of experience in vehicle power systems or electric propulsion system test planning and execution.

Demonstrated experience safely working with high-voltage battery systems, electric motors, and power electronics test methodologies and safety protocols.

Proven ability to create and execute comprehensive test plans, procedures, and fixture designs for component-level through vehicle-level validation of electric propulsion and power systems including HV batteries, power conversion systems, and control boards.

Experience with data acquisition systems and analyzing complex test data to identify performance issues and recommend design improvements.

Experience with ECU troubleshooting and maintenance tools including CAN bus communication and firmware updating tools and methods

Experience with automotive safety testing - ISO26262

Demonstrated ability to lead and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve project goals

Understanding of test automation principles and implementation using Python or other automation scripting tools

Preferred Qualifications

Hands-on experience with dynamometer testing, thermal cycling chambers, and environmental simulation for powertrain components

Proven leadership abilities with experience mentoring non-test engineers and coordinating cross-functional test activities between mechanical, electrical, and software teams

Experience supporting engineering prototypes in field environments with demonstrated ability to diagnose issues on-site, communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders, and represent the engineering team in customer-facing situations