Test Technician

Position Summary

As a Test Technician, you bring Velo3D’s metal additive manufacturing printers to life. Working from written, step-by-step procedures, you take newly assembled printers through three stages of test:

Subsystem bring-up (Level 600) - power up and verify each subsystem in turn: electrical and safety interlocks, gas and compressed air, cooling, motion, powder handling, laser optics, controls and software.

System validation (Level 700) - confirm the subsystems work together and the printer meets its acceptance criteria.

Final qualification (Level 800) - support the last qualification checks and sign-off before a printer is released.

Once trained, you run these steps on your own and know when to stop and ask for help. Full training is provided - you don’t need to know our procedures coming in. Success looks like procedures followed exactly, problems flagged early with clear detail, and test records complete enough to reconstruct any build months later.

Essential Functions

• Pre-power checks - Before anything is switched on, check wiring continuity, insulation, polarity and grounding, and confirm the printer is built to the correct configuration.
• Bring-up (Level 600) - Power up and verify each subsystem in sequence; perform pressure and leak checks on the gas, vacuum and coolant lines.
• Calibration and software - Calibrate sensors, gauges, temperature controls and motion systems; load firmware and software and apply the settings for each printer.
• Validation (Level 700) - Run the full system test sequence to confirm the printer meets its acceptance criteria.
• Final qualification (Level 800) - Support Test Engineering during final qualification and hand off each printer with all open items clearly documented.
• Troubleshooting - Diagnose routine problems using wiring diagrams, piping diagrams and controller screens. Escalate anything outside the procedure to the lead technician or a Test Engineer, with symptoms, readings and steps already taken.
• Records - Fill in test records accurately as you go, logging actual measurements, not just pass/fail. Report defects and suggest corrections where a procedure is unclear.
• Safety - Follow lockout/tagout (isolating power before work), laser, compressed gas, high-voltage and metal powder safety rules without exception; keep the work area clean and audit-ready.

Qualifications

Required:

• High school diploma or GED required; associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a technical field preferred.
• 1-3 years hands-on testing, installing or servicing complex equipment - semiconductor, medical device, aerospace, industrial automation or military maintenance backgrounds all translate well.
• Experience working to formal, revision-controlled procedures.
• Comfortable with multimeters and basic test instruments; able to read wiring diagrams and work safely around high voltage.
• Able to read piping diagrams; familiar with leak testing, precision assembly, torque specifications and alignment.
• Comfortable with Windows and installing software; willing to learn firmware loading, controller interfaces and basic network troubleshooting.
• Detail-oriented and disciplined - follows the procedure exactly and stops to ask rather than improvise.

Preferred:

• Experience with compressed gas systems, closed-loop liquid cooling, high-voltage electrical, or laser systems (we will train).
• Certifications, Working Conditions
• Export control: must be ITAR-compliant (U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident).
• Laser safety, lockout/tagout, compressed gas, metal powder and forklift training provided and must be maintained.
• Onsite at Fremont and Livermore. Day shift, with swing shift work as needed; a shift differential will be paid for swing shift hours. Occasional weekend work.
• Exposure to high voltage, high-power lasers, inert gases, metal powders and noise; safety glasses, laser eyewear, steel-toed shoes and other PPE as posted.
• Standing and walking for long periods, ladders and occasional confined spaces; lift up to 50 lbs; color vision and fine motor control required.