Senior Staff Test Engineer

About the role

Senior Staff Test Engineer is a highly technical leadership role responsible for defining and driving system-level validation strategies for server platforms across development and production environments. This role focuses on evaluating and integrating changes that impact manufacturing test systems, including firmware (BMC, BIOS, switch firmware), test infrastructure, and automation.

You will apply deep expertise in server architecture, networking, and power systems to assess risk, design validation methodologies, and ensure changes are safely deployed without impacting production stability. As a key technical authority, you will collaborate closely with engineering, manufacturing, and customer-facing teams to drive root cause analysis, improve validation coverage, and establish scalable test solutions.

This role requires strong hands-on capability in system debugging, rack-level networking, and test tool development (both software and hardware), along with the ability to influence technical decisions and elevate engineering standards across the organization.

What You’ll Do

• Define and lead system-level test architecture and validation strategy for server platforms across Design, NPI, and production environments (L10/L11).
• Own end-to-end validation of complex server systems, including CPU, GPU, memory, networking, storage, and power subsystems.
• Lead deep system-level debugging and root cause analysis, isolating issues across hardware, BIOS/BMC, OS, networking stack, and power systems.
• Serve as the technical escalation point for complex system failures across development and production.
• Develop, deploy, and validate network configurations (VLANs, port configs, L2/L3 behavior) for server rack switches to support system bring-up and testing.
• Debug system and rack-level network issues, including connectivity, traffic flow, and protocol behavior between servers and switches.
• Lead validation of server power infrastructure, including power supplies, power shelves, and redundancy architectures.
• Design and develop custom test and repair solutions, including:
• Digital tools (automation frameworks, validation utilities, debug software)
• Physical tools (debug cables, harnesses, fixtures, signal breakout solutions)
• Build and scale automated validation frameworks to improve test coverage, efficiency, and repeatability.
• Drive validation of server management interfaces, including BIOS/UEFI, BMC (OpenBMC), IPMI, and Redfish.
• Lead GPU system validation, including stress testing, workload validation, and system-level interaction with CPU, memory, and networking.
• Mentor engineers and elevate team capabilities in system validation, networking, power systems, and test tool development.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• 8+ years of hands-on experience in test engineering or system validation.
• Deep understanding of server architecture, including CPU, DIMMs, NICs, GPUs, FPGA, and system interconnects.
• Strong knowledge of BIOS/UEFI, BMC (OpenBMC), IPMI, Redfish
• Expertise with validation and stress tools such as: FIO, Linpack, mprime/mprime95, IPMITOOL
• Proficiency in Python, Shell, or Perl for test tool development and validation.
• Familiarity with engineering change processes (ECO/ECA) and test impact analysis.
• Proven ability in system-level debugging and root cause analysis across hardware, firmware, OS, networking, and power domains.
• Experience automating network setup and configuration using scripting (Python/Shell) and APIs.
• Strong debugging experience across system and network boundaries.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings into clear recommendations for non-technical or customer-facing stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in high-volume manufacturing environments (L10/L11).
• Experience validating GPU-based or AI systems.
• Familiarity with data center environments and large-scale deployments.
• Experience with liquid cooling systems.
• Strong background in failure analysis and reliability engineering.
• Contributions to test tools, frameworks, or validation standards.

ZT Systems assesses market data to ensure a competitive compensation package is created for all our employees. The typical base salary for this position is expected to be around $116,250 to $155,000. If hired, the final base salary will be determined on an individual basis taking into consideration experience, skills, knowledge, education and/or certifications.

Base salary is just one component of ZT Systems total rewards philosophy. We take pride in offering a wide range of benefits and perks that appeal to the variety of needs across our diverse employee base. Other rewards may include bonus, paid time off, generous 401k match, tuition reimbursement, wellbeing resources, and more.

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

About ZT Systems

At ZT Systems, a Sanmina Company, you’ll get to do work you are proud of alongside smart, passionate people. Every day, there are opportunities to collaborate with the best in the industry to design, build, and deliver impactful solutions to world-class customers. Along the way, you will gain hands-on experience in a fast-paced environment that’s challenging, rewarding, and career-defining.

A culture built around our values we work hard and think fast. We view challenges as opportunities—to do better, push harder, and be faster than we were the day before. When we fail, we learn from it and move on together. And when we succeed, we use the momentum to go even further. We create value with everything we do, building the foundation of today—and transforming the future of tomorrow.

Join ZT Systems and help us build technology infrastructure that connects the world.

What We Offer
At ZT Systems, a Sanmina Company, we believe that investing in our people is key to our continued growth and innovation. When you join our team, you’ll gain access to a comprehensive and inclusive benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and professional development—both now and in the future.

Compensation & Financial Security

-Competitive base salary

-Performance-based annual bonus eligibility

-401(k) retirement savings plan

-Tuition reimbursement for eligible education programs

Health & Wellness

-Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with access to leading providers

-Mental health resources and employee wellness support programs-

-Company-paid life and disability insurance

Time Away & Work-Life Balance

-Paid time off (PTO) and company-paid holidays

-Parental leave and family care support programs

Growth & Purpose

-Structured training programs and on-the-job learning opportunities

-Matching gifts and volunteer programs to support causes you care about

These benefits are available to eligible employees and are designed to grow with you as your career evolves. Full benefits and eligibility varies by work location. Learn more about our benefits here.

ZT Group Int’l. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. ZT Systems provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Please be aware that certain positions may require the applicant to either 1) be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or 2) be eligible to obtain an export control license or license exception from the Bureau of Industry and Science & U.S. Department of Commerce. All offers of employment will be conditional subject to the foregoing.