Manager, Hardware Validation (Onsite

Join Axon and be a Force for Good. At Axon, we’re on a mission to Protect Life. We’re explorers, pursuing society’s most critical safety and justice issues with our ecosystem of devices and cloud software. Like our products, we work better together. We connect with candor and care, seeking out diverse perspectives from our customers, communities and each other. Life at Axon is fast-paced, challenging and meaningful.

Here, you’ll take ownership and drive real change. Constantly grow as you work hard for a mission that matters at a company where you matter.

As a Manager on the Product Integrity team, you'll lead the engineers who prove Axon's hardware is ready for the field. The Manager, Hardware Validation owns the hardware validation plan and team for all Axon products. This role blends people leadership with hands‑on technical ownership: coaching a team of validation engineers, setting the technical bar for test rigor, and partnering across Hardware, Firmware, Manufacturing, Quality, and Program Management teams to ensure products meet functional, environmental, reliability, and safety requirements at every program milestone.

Location:

Onsite at our Phoenix, Deer Valley location

Reports to:

Senior Director, Product Integrity

Direct Reports:
Hardware Validation Engineers

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of hardware validation engineers, setting technical direction, priorities, and career growth plans.
• Own the validation plan for assigned product programs, from requirements definition through prototype, development, and production release.
• Define and drive execution of test plans covering functional, environmental (thermal, vibration, ingress, drop/shock), EMC/EMI, reliability, and safety compliance testing.
• Partner with Hardware Engineering, Firmware, Manufacturing, Quality, and Regulatory teams to identify design risks early and drive root‑cause investigations to closure.
• Support test lab infrastructure needs, including equipment, fixtures, automation, and data systems, for assigned product lines.
• Track validation metrics and exit criteria for program gate reviews, and report status and risk to the Sr. Manager, Hardware Validation.
• Support relationships with external test labs and certification bodies (UL, FCC, CE, MIL‑STD, IP ratings, and similar) for assigned programs.
• Drive continuous improvement in test coverage, cycle time, and defect escape rates within the team.
• Travel required:
  
  Up to 15%, for manufacturing and supplier site visits, outside test labs, and program reviews.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in hardware test, validation, or reliability engineering.
• 2+ years of experience leading or managing engineers in a validation, test, or reliability function.
• Hands‑on experience with environmental and reliability test methods (e.g., HALT/HASS, vibration, thermal, ingress, drop/shock, EMC).
• Working knowledge of industry and regulatory test standards (MIL‑STD, IEC, ISO, ASTM) and EMC/regulatory certification processes.
• Experience with test automation, data acquisition systems, and statistical analysis of test results (e.g., DOE, reliability modeling, Weibull analysis).
• Strong communication skills, with experience presenting test results and technical trade‑offs to cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Experience with connected/IoT hardware, wearables, or public safety technology is a plus.
• Six Sigma Green Belt certification a plus.

• Competitive salary and 401k with employer match
• Discretionary paid time off
• Paid parental leave for all
• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• Fitness programs
• Emotional and mental wellness support
• Learning and development programs
• And yes, we have snacks in our offices

Benefits listed herein may vary depending on the nature of your employment and the location where you work.

Don’t meet every single requirement? That's ok. At Axon, we Aim Far. We think big with a long‑term view because we want to reinvent the world to be a safer, better place. We are also committed to building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve. Studies have shown that women and people of color are…