JR QA Hardware Engineer

Clear Ballot Group • Nashua, NH

5d

About The Position

Our nation’s elections are being challenged like never before. As the first newcomer in the industry in the last 30 years, Clear Ballot rises to the challenge with a simple goal: Let’s create technology that empowers our customers to improve democracy. Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, with the right to vote being one of our greatest freedoms. Great elections require secure and reliable tabulation equipment, full transparency of the process in which ballots are created and cast, and the ability to audit the results. Our mission is to surpass those expectations in a way that will raise the bar for the entire election technology industry. We are looking for a motivated Junior Hardware Quality Engineer to join our Hardware Engineering team. This position serves as the designated entry point for recent university graduates or early-career engineers looking to launch a career in hardware development and testing. In this role, you will translate your academic knowledge into practical engineering skills under the close guidance and mentorship of senior team members. You will learn and gain hands-on experience in the hardware development of voting systems, from the initial design phase through prototyping and production readiness. Your responsibilities will include assisting with prototype testing, supporting internal validation efforts, and overseeing testing performed by external laboratories as part of formal certification processes. Throughout this role, you will also develop foundational knowledge of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG)—the federal standards that ensure voting systems are secure, reliable, and accessible—as well as the hardware testing requirements necessary to meet certification and regulatory compliance.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Experience: 0–2 years of relevant experience.
• Technical Aptitude: A strong desire to learn voting system hardware and drive quality through hands-on engineering. You must possess a natural aptitude for breaking and taking things apart in a structured way to identify weaknesses.
• Test Instrumentation Proficiency: Hands-on experience with standard lab equipment, including oscilloscopes, digital multimeters (DMMs), and desktop power supplies.
• Hardware & Software Setup: Familiarity with installing drivers, OS, and software on hardware.
• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential. You must be able to work effectively with other departments and clearly report test results and technical issues.
• Office Productivity Tools: Proficiency with Microsoft Office and/or Google Workspace applications (Word/Docs, Excel/Sheets) for documentation and data analysis.

Nice To Haves

• Previous Internships: Prior internship experience in hardware engineering or quality assurance.
• CAD & PCB Layout: Familiarity with Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools and circuit board layout software is beneficial for understanding and reviewing mechanical and electrical components.
• Soldering & Rework: Experience with soldering and using rework stations, including the ability to perform basic soldering and rework on printed circuit boards (PCBs) for minor repairs or modifications.
• Schematic Interpretation: Interest in learning to read and interpret electrical schematics and mechanical drawings to trace signals and identify potential failure points.
• Agile & Tools: Experience working within Agile frameworks (Scrum or Kanban) using Atlassian products (Jira, Confluence).
• Linux OS: Familiarity with Linux operating systems.

Responsibilities

• Lab Operations & Hardware Management: You will be responsible for installing software on lab hardware, inspecting incoming electronic parts, managing lab inventory, and preparing hardware for demonstrations.
• Defect Reporting: You will log defects, report test results, and communicate findings clearly and promptly to senior team members.
• Root Cause Analysis Support: You will assist in reproducing hardware issues to support Root Cause Analysis (RCA) efforts and gather necessary information to aid in drafting Product Requirements Documents (PRDs).
• External Testing Opportunities: You will have the unique opportunity to shadow and oversee EMI/EMC and environmental testing at external laboratories to gain hands-on experience with regulatory certification processes.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level