Reliability Test Engineer - Robotics

Job Title: Hardware Reliability Test Engineer

Location: Santa Clara, California, United States of America

Job Function: R&D Product Development

Job Sub‑Function: R&D Mechanical Engineering

Job Category: Scientific/Technology

Job Description: The Robotics and Digital solutions (RAD) group, part of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, is recruiting for a Hardware Reliability Test Engineer for the Robotics and Digital R&D Team. This position is located in Santa Clara, CA.

What We Do: At Johnson & Johnson Med Tech, we are building the future of robotic surgery and healthcare through innovation and technical excellence. Our goal is to develop advanced robotic platforms that are precise, reliable, and accessible. Our team focuses on creating solutions that empower surgeons and improve patient outcomes worldwide.

Who We Are: Within RAD R&D we are a team of clinical, electrical, firmware, mechanical, mechatronics, robotic controls, systems and software engineers who are passionate about improving patient care. The team includes a wide range of experience levels from junior engineers to industry experts. We follow an iterative, collaborative approach to product development, working across clinical, instrument, accessories, and system teams.

We prioritize autonomy, develop a culture of learning, and value diversity of thought and background.

• Translate product reliability requirements and specifications into detailed test protocols and pass/fail criteria.
• Develop and implement mechanical, thermal, electrical, and environmental loads/stresses (e.g., vibration, shock, thermal cycling, humidity, electrical stress) required by the protocols.
• Plan and execute Reliability Demonstration Testing, Characterization Testing, and Ongoing Reliability Testing to validate product robustness across development and production lifecycle.
• Design, build, and validate custom test fixtures and test rigs to enable repeatable, controlled testing.
• Develop and maintain test automation and scripting for test setup, execution, data logging, and analysis (e.g., Python, LabVIEW, or equivalent).
• Run hands‑on testing, monitor test runs, and ensure data integrity and traceability.
• Analyze test data, produce summary reports, and present findings to engineering and program teams.
• Document and report issues discovered during testing; create reproducible problem descriptions, supporting data and test artifacts.
• Triage issues to the appropriate project teams or Failure Analysis (FA) groups and support root‑cause investigations as required.
• Maintain and calibrate test equipment and laboratory documentation; ensure test safety and compliance with internal standards and external regulations.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with design, manufacturing, quality, and FA to close reliability issues and feed lessons learned back into the product development cycle.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related technical field (or equivalent experience).
• 2+ years of hands‑on experience in reliability or test engineering roles (design and execution of reliability tests, fixture design, or test automation).
• Practical experience with environmental/mechanical test equipment such as vibration tables, shock rigs, thermal chambers, and electrical stress equipment.
• Experience designing and building test fixtures and custom test rigs.
• Proficiency in scripting or programming for test automation and data capture (examples: Python, LabVIEW, or similar).
• Strong data analysis skills; experience with statistical analysis and data visualization (Excel, Python, MATLAB, Minitab, etc.).
• Clear technical writing skills for protocols, test plans, and test reports.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and attention to detail; ability to prioritize multiple test projects.

• Master’s degree in relevant engineering field.
• Experience with reliability methods such as HALT/HASS, accelerated life testing (ALT).
• Familiarity with design for reliability concepts (FMEA, reliability prediction methods).
• Experience working in regulated industries…