Senior System Test Engineer

About Forterra

At Forterra, we are unleashing autonomy at scale to transform the battlefield. Our mission is to build the foundational platforms that enable an intelligent ecosystem to coordinate, adapt, and execute with speed and precision even in the uncertainty and disruption of modern conflict. In an era marked by rapid technological change and evolving threats, we design for flexibility, survivability, and operational dominance.

Forterra delivers weapons, sensors, and battlefield effects through integrated autonomous networks reaching operational areas faster, safer, and without placing human lives  systems operate with distributed control, dynamic routing, and real‑time responsiveness, enabling sustained advantage across complex mission environments.

Forterra builds autonomous ground systems that operate in the real world: industrial sites, logistics yards, and contested environments. Our systems must work every time, under uncertainty, and with real consequences.

The Product Validation team exists to answer one question: “Is this system safe, reliable, and ready for real‑world missions?”

We validate autonomous vehicles across simulation, hardware‑in‑the‑loop benches, and live vehicle testing to reduce risk, expose failure modes early, and ensure mission success for both commercial and DoD customers.

As a System Test Engineer you will play a critical role in ensuring the functional safety, reliability, and performance of autonomous vehicle subsystems. Your primary focus will be on designing, executing, and maintaining comprehensive test plans for critical vehicle functions, including emergency stop systems, autonomous navigation, sensor fusion, and control logic.

This is an on‑site role requiring hands‑on exposure to cutting‑edge technology and real‑world environments.

• Own vehicle‑level test strategy for autonomy features and safety‑critical functions
• Translate system requirements and user journeys into structured test plans and scenario matrices
• Identify operational edge cases and risk‑driven test permutations
• Design and source custom test interfaces, instrumentation, and tooling as needed
• Execute and oversee testing across simulation, benches, and real vehicles
• Analyze results, perform root cause analysis, and clearly communicate risk and readiness
• Write scripts and tools to monitor metrics, automate checks, and accelerate debugging
• Partner with Systems, Software, Hardware, and Safety to define V&A strategy
• Provide testability feedback during design and requirement reviews
• Represent Product Validation in program milestones and readiness discussions

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in system test, validation, integration, or V&A roles
• Hands‑on experience testing, troubleshooting hardware or software systems
• Customer‑focused mindset and sense of quality
• Proven experience designing and executing system‑level tests
• Experience analyzing complex failures across hardware, software, and integration boundaries
• Working knowledge of autonomous or complex cyber‑physical systems
• Flexible team player with good oral and written communication skills, and ability to work effectively in a very fast‑paced environment with team members from many different disciplines
• Willingness to travel for testing and field support (up to ~25%)

• Experience with automotive and defense safety standards such as ISO 26262 and/or MIL‑STD‑882E
• Experience working on DoD programs
• Working understanding of autonomous system architectures including perception, planning, and control subsystems
• Understanding of automotive electronics and familiarity with communication protocols such as Ethernet, CAN, and LIN
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, data pipelines, or automated test frameworks

US Salary Range: $110,000—$140,000 / annually

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education,…