Reliability And FA Engineer

TL;DR

Reliability And FA Engineer (Consumer Electronics): Define and execute reliability test plans and perform failure analysis on units from development, production, and field returns with an accent on HALT/ALT, environmental stress testing, and deep root-cause identification. Focus on driving RCA and CAPA, applying Design for Reliability (DFR) principles, and standardizing reliability validation methods across cross-functional teams.

Location: On-site (San Francisco; Bellevue)

Salary: $175K – $280K

Company

Sesame builds voice-agent-focused consumer hardware with a vision of lifelike computers.

What you will do

• Define and execute reliability test plans, including Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT), Accelerated Life Testing (ALT), and environmental stress testing.
• Conduct failure analysis (FA) on failed units using advanced analytical tools and equipment.
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and collaborate with Mechanical, Electrical, and Firmware teams to implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Apply Design for Reliability (DFR) principles during early development to influence product architecture and design.
• Manage reliability lab operations, including equipment maintenance, calibration, and safety protocols.
• Produce technical reports and reliability dashboards, and support product lifecycle management through mass production.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical field.
• 7+ years of reliability engineering or failure analysis experience in the consumer electronics industry.
• Hands-on failure analysis experience with tools such as X-ray, cross-sectioning, SEM, or optical microscopy.
• Strong understanding of industry-standard reliability testing methodologies and environmental standards.
• Ability to communicate complex technical findings clearly across diverse cross-functional teams.

Nice to have

• 10+ years of consumer electronics experience focused on reliability and failure analysis.
• Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering or a related field.
• Experience with wearable devices or small form factor, high-density products.
• Experience with statistical analysis tools (e.g., JMP, Minitab) and reliability modeling (e.g., Weibull analysis).

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time employee benefits including 100% employer-paid health, vision, and dental for you and dependents.
• 401(k) with max employer match of 3.5% of compensation.
• Unlimited PTO and sick time.
• Medical FSA with employer matching up to $1,650/year.
• Competitive stock options and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Hiring process

• Interviews focused on reliability testing, failure analysis, and RCA/CAPA experience.
• Technical evaluation of hands-on FA methods and reliability methodology knowledge.