Founded in 1976, Samtec is a privately held, $950 million global manufacturer of a broad line of electronic interconnect solutions, including High-Speed Board-to-Board, High-Speed Cables, Mid-Board and Panel Optics, Precision RF, Flexible Stacking, and Micro/Rugged components and cables. Samtec Technology Centers are dedicated to developing and advancing technologies, strategies and products to optimize both the performance and cost of a system from the bare die to an interface 100 meters away, and all interconnect points in between. With 40+ international locations and products sold in more than 125 different countries, Samtec’s global presence enables its unmatched customer service.

The Samtec Optical Group is looking for a Test and Development Engineer to support our current and future PCIe-compatible optical transceiver products. The primary responsibilities are to conduct laboratory work to validate and develop optical PCIe products, and to interface with the applications engineering, marketing, and sales teams to ensure that we are meeting customer requirements.

The ideal candidate will have a strong aptitude for hands-on laboratory experimentation, all the way from initial test design to final data collection and interpretation, and an interest in computer architectures and communication protocols. This is a full-time and primarily in-person laboratory position at our Santa Clara, CA location.

Responsibilities & Functions

1. Develop a strong understanding of Samtec optical transceiver design and performance, and of the PCIe protocol at multiple layers, via internal and external learning resources.
2. Perform optical and electrical validation testing and analysis using existing test systems.
3. Quickly design and build as-needed optical/electrical/thermal test setups using bench-top measurement equipment and off-the-shelf components.
4. Maintain lab equipment related to both tasks above.
5. Automate data collection using Python and Linux shell scripting. Retrieve data and quickly interpret results, using SQL and JMP.
6. Create and maintain clear documentation of test designs, experiments, and results. 
7. Work with customer quality teams to support root cause investigations and processes.
8. Benchmark PCIe product performance and create test strategies for all lifecycle stages.

Education:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or equivalent is required.
2. Master’s degree or additional laboratory experience is preferred.

Experience:

1. 1 year of electrical or optical laboratory experience (in academic or industry settings).
2. Previous experience with test or data automation using computer scripting languages.
3. A detail-oriented and organized approach to all aspects of the role.
4. The ability to successfully communicate and collaborate with engineers and non-engineers at all levels of the organization.
5. Familiarity with:
   • Computer architectures, communication protocols, PCIe, or Linux systems.
   • Optical transceivers, fiber optics, or high-speed RF electronics.
   • Microprocessors, embedded programming, Arduino, or I2C.
   • Previous experience with Linux shell scripting or Python.
6. ITAR: Must be able to legally work in the United States. Position requires the candidate to be a US Person as defined in ITAR, 22 CFR 120.15 (US Citizenship or Resident Alien Status) and defined by 8 USC 1101(a) (20)