Manufacturing Test Engineer (PCBA)

Austin is home to Optiver’s hardware research, development, and manufacturing group. We build some of the world’s most competitive trading hardware—high-speed, high-density systems that push the limits of performance, reliability, and manufacturability.

We’re growing fast and looking for a Manufacturing Test Engineer focused on PCBA test development and deployment. You’ll own board-level test solutions from early prototypes through volume production—building fixtures, developing automation, driving debug, and partnering closely with contract manufacturers and our internal EE/ME/FPGA/firmware teams.

We’re a small, highly technical team, and this role comes with real autonomy: you’ll have the runway to improve how we do test, raise the bar on factory readiness, and build scalable processes as our hardware footprint grows.

Who we are

Optiver is a tech-driven trading firm and leading global market maker. As one of the oldest market making institutions, we are a trusted partner of 70+ exchanges across the globe. Our mission is to constantly improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency and acting as a stabilizing force no matter the market conditions. With a focus on continuous improvement, we participate in the safeguarding of healthy and efficient markets for everyone who participates.

Based in ‘The Domain’ neighborhood, Optiver’s Austin office serves as the firm’s innovation nucleus, with a strong focus on quantitative research, software and hardware engineering initiatives. With tech innovation an integral part of our core business, the booming city proved an ideal backdrop for our heavy investment into machine learning, research infrastructure and big data computing. What’s more, with world-class music, food and art scenes, as well as countless scenic outdoor activities, the quality of life for Austin Optiverians is second to none.

What you’ll do

• Own PCBA manufacturing test strategy across the product lifecycle:
• EVT/DVT/PVT → ramp → sustaining
• coverage definition, limits/thresholds, logging, and yield monitoring
• Design and build PCBA test fixtures spanning:
• ICT & Functional verification test (FVT)
• Burn-in / reliability screening
• Final assembly tests (FATP)
• System interoperability testing
• Develop automated test software with strong emphasis on Python scripting, maintainability, and scalability
• Partner with contract manufacturers to deploy tests on the line, train vendor teams, and drive continuous improvement.
• Drive DFT/DFM feedback into design reviews with EE and ME teams
• Define and maintain test documentation:
• Test plans, work instructions, golden unit strategy, calibration/maintenance procedures, and acceptance criteria.
• Use modern tooling (including AI-assisted workflows where helpful) to speed up debug, log triage, and documentation—without compromising repeatability and traceability.
• Travel periodically to supplier sites to support NPI builds, line bring-up, and ramp

Who you are

Requirements

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related discipline.
• 3+ years of industry experience
• Strong Python skills: automation, hardware I/O, parsing logs, data analysis, packaging/CI practices.
• Ability to understand register maps and leverage HALs for creation of test scripts
• Proficient ECAD skills to develop schematics and oversee layout work: Altium, Mentor Graphics, Cadence or equivalent.
• Hands-on experience developing and deploying manufacturing PCBA tests in a production environment.
• Comfortable with hardware debug using scopes, DMMs, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers; strong troubleshooting instincts.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers and external vendor engineering teams, including clear communication and escalation management.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with FPGA prototyping and basic RTL concepts (enough to support debug/bring-up and test hooks).
• Familiarity with C and/or C++ for embedded firmware development
• Experience with high-speed digital board debug (clocking, SERDES links, power sequencing, SI/PI-related failure modes).
• Solidworks familiarity.

What you’ll get:

• Work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries.
• Performance based bonus structure that is unmatched anywhere in the industry. We combine our profits across desks, teams and offices into a global profit pool fostering a truly collaborative environment to work in.
• Ownership over initiatives that directly solve business problems.  

Alongside this you will get great other benefits such as 25 paid vacation days and market holidays, fully paid health insurance, daily breakfast and lunch, training opportunities, 401(k) match up to 50% and charitable match opportunities, regular social events and clubs, and many more.

At Optiver, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. Optiver recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, or other legally protected characteristics.