Test/Validation Engineer - 100% Remote - Part Time / Freelance
About the role
Position Overview
We are seeking a Test/Validation Engineer to lead the verification, validation, and qualification of embedded software, drivers, and real-time operating system (RTOS) components developed for NASA’s High Performance Space Computer (HPSC) and RTEMS kernel . This role will focus on designing robust test plans, automating test execution, and ensuring compliance with safety, performance, and security standards for mission-critical aerospace systems.
The engineer will collaborate with kernel, driver, and cryptography developers to validate MMU drivers, crypto modules, and system-level features on both emulated (QEMU) and hardware environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Test Design & Execution
- Develop test strategies, test plans, and test cases for RTEMS kernel modules, device drivers, and crypto implementations.
- Validate system performance, security, and real-time behavior on HPSC development boards and emulators .
- Automation & Framework Development
- Create automated test frameworks and regression test suites for continuous integration and delivery.
- Implement hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing where applicable.
- Validation & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with safety-critical standards (DO-178C, ARINC 653, POSIX compliance).
- Validate cryptographic modules against NIST and FIPS 140-3 requirements .
- Document test coverage, results, and provide verification reports for certification readiness.
- Debugging & Issue Resolution
- Collaborate with developers to identify, reproduce, and resolve defects.
- Perform stress testing, fuzz testing, and security testing for resilience validation.
- Collaboration & Documentation
- Work closely with RTEMS open-source contributors, NASA engineers, and hardware vendors.
- Produce test documentation, SBOM validation reports, and integration test guides.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field .
- 5+ years of experience in embedded systems testing and validation .
- Hands-on experience with RTOS environments (RTEMS, VxWorks, Zephyr, FreeRTOS, or similar).
- Proficiency in C/C++ and Python for test automation and embedded testing.
- Strong experience with debugging tools (QEMU, GDB, hardware debuggers, JTAG).
- Solid understanding of test methodologies : unit, integration, regression, performance, and security testing.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience testing RISC-V based systems or space-qualified processors (e.g., HPSC).
- Familiarity with cryptographic module validation (NIST test vectors, FIPS 140-3).
- Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test environments.
- Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines for embedded testing (GitLab CI, Jenkins, etc.).
- Familiarity with safety-critical standards (DO-178C, ARINC 653).
- Experience with fault injection and side-channel analysis for crypto/security modules.
Soft Skills
- Detail-oriented with strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
- Excellent technical documentation and communication abilities.
- Strong collaboration skills for working across software, hardware, and security teams.
- Ability to work independently on test ownership and validation sign-off.
Test/Validation Engineer - 100% Remote - Part Time / Freelance
About the role
Position Overview
We are seeking a Test/Validation Engineer to lead the verification, validation, and qualification of embedded software, drivers, and real-time operating system (RTOS) components developed for NASA’s High Performance Space Computer (HPSC) and RTEMS kernel . This role will focus on designing robust test plans, automating test execution, and ensuring compliance with safety, performance, and security standards for mission-critical aerospace systems.
The engineer will collaborate with kernel, driver, and cryptography developers to validate MMU drivers, crypto modules, and system-level features on both emulated (QEMU) and hardware environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Test Design & Execution
- Develop test strategies, test plans, and test cases for RTEMS kernel modules, device drivers, and crypto implementations.
- Validate system performance, security, and real-time behavior on HPSC development boards and emulators .
- Automation & Framework Development
- Create automated test frameworks and regression test suites for continuous integration and delivery.
- Implement hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing where applicable.
- Validation & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with safety-critical standards (DO-178C, ARINC 653, POSIX compliance).
- Validate cryptographic modules against NIST and FIPS 140-3 requirements .
- Document test coverage, results, and provide verification reports for certification readiness.
- Debugging & Issue Resolution
- Collaborate with developers to identify, reproduce, and resolve defects.
- Perform stress testing, fuzz testing, and security testing for resilience validation.
- Collaboration & Documentation
- Work closely with RTEMS open-source contributors, NASA engineers, and hardware vendors.
- Produce test documentation, SBOM validation reports, and integration test guides.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field .
- 5+ years of experience in embedded systems testing and validation .
- Hands-on experience with RTOS environments (RTEMS, VxWorks, Zephyr, FreeRTOS, or similar).
- Proficiency in C/C++ and Python for test automation and embedded testing.
- Strong experience with debugging tools (QEMU, GDB, hardware debuggers, JTAG).
- Solid understanding of test methodologies : unit, integration, regression, performance, and security testing.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience testing RISC-V based systems or space-qualified processors (e.g., HPSC).
- Familiarity with cryptographic module validation (NIST test vectors, FIPS 140-3).
- Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test environments.
- Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines for embedded testing (GitLab CI, Jenkins, etc.).
- Familiarity with safety-critical standards (DO-178C, ARINC 653).
- Experience with fault injection and side-channel analysis for crypto/security modules.
Soft Skills
- Detail-oriented with strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
- Excellent technical documentation and communication abilities.
- Strong collaboration skills for working across software, hardware, and security teams.
- Ability to work independently on test ownership and validation sign-off.