Senior System Test Technician (Heat-to-Power)

About the role

Operate and maintain Heat-to-Power's high-temperature test platforms at Antora's R&D facility. The primary function of this role is test technician: hands-on setup, maintenance, and instrumentation of electrical discharge prototypes that generate the data driving Heat-to-Power development. A secondary function is test operator, running and monitoring campaigns (including unattended and overnight runs within defined limits), with an engineer on call for decisions outside those limits.

Responsibilities

• After training, independently set up, operate, monitor, shut down, and disassemble high-temperature test campaigns, including unattended and overnight operation within defined limits.
• Maintain and prepare the test rigs: mechanical assembly and disassembly, instrumentation (thermocouples, RTDs, pyrometers), gas and cooling systems, and DAQ and controls hardware. Keep tools test-ready and track maintenance.
• Track and manage consumables, spare parts, and instrumentation inventory; flag reorder needs proactively and maintain accurate records to avoid test delays.
• Collect, validate, and deliver post-test datasets used in design iteration, performance evaluation, and reliability analysis.
• Troubleshoot issues across sensors, thermal systems, mechanical assemblies, controls, and data acquisition. Know when to handle it and when to escalate to the on-call engineer.
• Recognize off-nominal or non-physical behavior during operation and respond within defined safety and operating limits.
• Produce and update test procedures, run logs, safety documentation, and post-test summaries.
• Communicate clearly through documentation, plots, and technical discussion with engineers across disciplines.
• Operate complex experimental systems safely and with discipline, given elevated temperatures and electrical power.
• Support implementation of hardware, instrumentation, or procedural improvements that increases test reliability, repeatability, or usability.

Key Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on experience operating and maintaining experimental or production hardware, test rigs, or complex equipment (research, industrial, military, or similar).
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in an engineering or technical field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Thermal, mechanical, electrical, or related engineering or technical background sufficient to make operating judgment calls.
• Strong hands-on skills with fixtures, sensors, and test equipment; demonstrated attention to data quality, repeatability, and rigor.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot mechanical, thermal, electrical, or instrumentation issues independently.
• Strong safety awareness around physical systems, electricity, and elevated temperatures.
• Clear written and verbal communication; experience documenting procedures and results.
• Ability to work onsite and independently manage test tasks with guidance from senior engineers.
• Comfortable using AI tools to accelerate documentation, data analysis, troubleshooting, and procedure writing; able to critically evaluate AI-generated output.

Additional Qualifications

• Experience with high-temperature systems, thermal testing, furnaces, heaters, or vacuum environments.
• Familiarity with data acquisition systems (Python-based DAQ, PLCs, or similar) and controls or automation scripting.
• Experience with instrumentation such as thermocouples, pyrometers, RTDs, pressure sensors, current/voltage measurement, or optical diagnostics.
• Prior work with photovoltaics, power electronics, energy conversion, or other experimental energy systems.
• Experience producing clean, reusable test procedures and lab documentation.

Work Location

Onsite - San Jose, CA

Pay

$52/hr - $65/hr (hourly). Actual salary offered will be within the posted range and determined based on several factors including but not limited to a candidate's experiences, credentials and expertise, as they pertain to the position's requirements.

Benefits

• Equity compensation in the form of stock options
• Premium health benefits package with life and disability insurance
• 401K plan with employer contributions
• Flexible spending accounts
• Industry leading paid-time-off policy that features flexible and inclusive holiday observance, as well as paid volunteer time off