Reliability Engineer

Essential Duties:

As an early member of a new engineering team, you will be responsible for defining system reliability requirements, generating damage models, and characterizing the reliability of our new product. You will work cross-functionally to define requirements, analyze designs, and design tests to meet high reliability standards in real-world conditions, including both electrical and mechanical failure modes.

You’re a doer, excited about getting your hands dirty and working in a dynamic, fast-paced setting, and want to shape a new department at Redwood.

Responsibilities Will Include:

• Define and own the reliability strategy for hardware products with complex PCBAs and electromechanical assemblies.
• Plan and execute reliability tests such as HALT, thermal cycling, vibration, drop, humidity, ingress protection (IP) testing, and power cycling.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define design-for-reliability (DfR) requirements and drive root cause analysis for test failures
• Track reliability KPIs and deliver reliability insights to guide design improvements and product decisions.
• Develop accelerated life test models and support FMEA and DFMEA processes.
• Analyze reliability data using Weibull, log-normal, and other statistical models to predict field performance
• Work closely with engineering teams to establish reliability gates through program stages (A/B/C/D).
• Support failure analysis (FA) efforts using tools like X-ray, cross-sectioning, and SEM/EDX to identify failure mechanisms in PCBAs
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts across reliability processes, lab capabilities, and test methodologies.
• Author reports / document findings

Desired Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• >5 years of experience in hardware reliability engineering, preferably in industries like energy, EV, consumer electronics, or aerospace
• Deep knowledge of electronic and mechanical failure mechanisms (e.g., solder fatigue, corrosion, delamination, sealing failures, thermal expansion mismatch, material fatigue, etc.)
• Proficiency in statistical analysis tools (e.g., Minitab, JMP, or Python).
• Experience with reliability lab equipment and test setup design.
• Knowledge of reliability warranty analysis and reliability prediction methods
• Working knowledge of failure analysis techniques such as optical microscopy, SEM, CSAM, X-ray, cross-sectioning and EDX

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to perform the essential job functions consistent safely and successfully with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards, including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards.
• Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state, and local standards

Working Conditions:

• Environment, such as office or outdoors.
• Ability to work in challenging working conditions which may include exposure to noise, dust, chemicals, and temperature extremes, while protected by PPE, for extended periods of time.
• Essential physical requirements, such as climbing, standing, stooping, or typing.
• Occasional work weekends, nights, or be on-call as a regular part of the job.
• Occasional travel requirements.