Vehicle Validation Test Engineer

Job Title: Validation Test Engineer (Electric Vehicle)

Location: Elkhart, IN

Reports to: Production Quality Manager

Employment Type: Full-time

Position Summary

The Validation Test Engineer plays a key role in ensuring the functionality, reliability, and performance of electric and hybrid vehicle systems at Optimal-EV's Elkhart facility. It emphasizes the core focus on testing, validation, and verification of EV subsystems. This position requires a solid foundation in both electrical and mechanical engineering to support vehicle validation, troubleshoot functional issues, assist with new feature testing, and continuously improve test processes and documentation.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform functional testing on complete vehicles and subsystems to ensure performance and compliance with internal and customer requirements.
• Troubleshoot and diagnose issues related to electrical, mechanical, and software interfaces.
• Support validation and verification of new features, components, and system updates.
• Identify and document critical characteristics affecting product quality and performance.
• Maintain and update all testing procedures, records, and technical documentation.
• Work collaboratively with engineering, production, and quality teams to resolve issues efficiently.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and root cause analyses as needed.
• Perform additional testing or quality-related tasks as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• Strong interdisciplinary understanding of both electrical and mechanical systems.
• Proficient with basic diagnostic tools, measurement instruments, and data interpretation.
• CAN Bus basics foundations understandings
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Detail-oriented with a hands-on approach and willingness to work in a production environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• 1 years of experience in automotive, EV, or hybrid vehicle manufacturing/testing.
• Hands-on experience with EV, ICE, or EREV systems, including testing or validation.
• Experience with coding or data acquisition (CAN Bus tools, MATLAB, Python, etc.).
• Experience in troubleshooting harness, inverter, or motor controller issues.
• Experience with NetSuite and other ERP is a plus.
• Knowledge of quality and reliability tools such as 8D, 5 Why, or FMEA is a plus.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation and benefits package.
• Opportunity to work on innovative electric and hybrid vehicle technologies.
• Collaborative environment focused on technical growth and product excellence.
• Visa sponsorship and career advancement opportunities for qualified candidates.