Manufacturing Jobs in San Diego, CA (Now Hiring) — 1,463 open

About Instant Care

Instant Care is a leading provider of critical security and life-safety products in the PERS — Personal Emergency Response System — marketplace. We design, test, and manufacture low-power RF transmitters and peripherals used by major service providers around the world.Our products include compact, battery-powered RF and embedded electronic devices that may incorporate sensors, MEMS-based detection, wireless communication, low-power firmware, and purpose-built hardware for life-safety applications.

These products are used in real-world emergency response environments where reliability, consistency, and stable performance are critical. We are seeking a detail-oriented Electronics Validation Test Technician to support validation testing, bench testing, troubleshooting, documentation, and release-readiness verification of RF, embedded, and sensor-based electronic products.

Position Overview

The Electronics Validation Test Technician will be responsible for testing and verifying the performance of low-power sub-GHz RF transmitters and related embedded electronic devices used in personal emergency response and life-safety systems.

A significant part of this role involves validation testing of release-candidate products. When a hardware or firmware design is ready for formal evaluation, this individual will execute structured test procedures to confirm stable performance, identify issues, document results, and help determine whether the product is ready for production release.

This role requires a strong hands-on electronics background, attention to detail, and the ability to understand product behavior at the circuit, device, and system level. The ideal candidate should be comfortable working with RF devices, embedded hardware, battery-powered products, MEMS sensors, printed circuit board assemblies, and electronic test equipment.

A well-qualified candidate will demonstrate familiarity with schematics, PCB layouts, signal flow, component function, and general hardware design best practices is important. The technician should be able to use schematics and hardware documentation to support troubleshooting, understand intended product operation, and communicate technical findings clearly to Engineering, Project Management, and Quality Assurance teams.

This is a hands-on, onsite position. Due to the test equipment, production fixtures, environmental test setups, and product handling required, the Electronics Validation Test Technician is expected to work onsite Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Primary Responsibilities

- Perform validation testing on release-candidate RF, embedded, and sensor-based electronic products
- Execute structured validation test plans, DVT procedures, work instructions, and engineering test requests
- Verify product performance, stability, and consistency prior to production release
- Test low-power sub-GHz RF transmitter performance, including frequency accuracy, output power, modulation, range, packet behavior, transmission reliability, and receiver compatibility
- Test embedded device functionality, including firmware-controlled behavior, inputs, outputs, sensors, timing, battery operation, and fault conditions
- Support testing of MEMS-based or sensor-driven products, including motion sensing, orientation sensing, impact detection, environmental sensing, or similar device functions
- Operate electronic test equipment, including multimeters, oscilloscopes, frequency counters, spectrum analyzers, RF power meters, power supplies, signal generators, and specialized validation or production test fixtures
- Review schematics, PCB documentation, test points, and hardware notes to support test setup, troubleshooting, and failure isolation
- Apply basic hardware design best-practice awareness when evaluating product behavior, including signal integrity, grounding, power stability, RF layout sensitivity, component selection, battery loading, and manufacturability concerns
- Record test data accurately and maintain complete validation, production, and quality documentation
- Identify, troubleshoot, and isolate product failures to the component, assembly, firmware, RF, sensor, or system level when required
- Perform visual inspections of printed circuit board assemblies, solder joints, connectors, antennas, batteries, enclosures, labels, and finished products
- Document test failures clearly, including symptoms, operating conditions, repeatability, measurements, observations, and supporting evidence
- Report recurring product issues and collaborate with Manufacturing, Engineering, and Quality Assurance teams to improve product reliability, manufacturability, and release readiness
- Support production testing, quality verification, and failure analysis as needed
- Ensure products meet validation, manufacturing, and quality standards prior to release or shipment
- Follow ESD handling procedures and maintain a clean, organized, and safe workstation
- Communicate test status, product issues, risks, schedule concerns, and technical findings clearly and promptly

Required Qualifications

- High school diploma or equivalent
- Experience working with electronic assemblies, electronic testing, product validation, or electronic production
- Basic understanding of DC electronics, electronic components, and circuit operation
- Ability to read and follow technical work instructions, test procedures, inspection criteria, and validation plans
- Ability to use schematics, test points, and hardware documentation to support troubleshooting and test execution
- Experience using basic electronic test equipment such as multimeters, power supplies, and oscilloscopes
- Strong attention to detail and excellent organizational skills
- Comfortable using computers for documentation, test data entry, and production or validation records
- Ability to document test results clearly, accurately, and consistently
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Ability to manage multiple test tasks while maintaining accuracy and consistency
- Reliable transportation and ability to work onsite Monday through Friday
- Effective verbal and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

- Associate degree or technical certification in Electronics Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, RF Technology, or a related field
- Experience with device validation, DVT, EVT, PVT, production validation, or formal product test processes
- Experience testing RF devices, wireless products, embedded systems, battery-powered electronics, or sensor-based devices
- Familiarity with sub-GHz RF communications, low-power RF transmitters, antennas, RF matching, receiver compatibility, and range testing
- Familiarity with embedded electronic devices, firmware-driven behavior, microcontrollers, serial communication, GPIO, low-power modes, and battery-operated designs
- Familiarity with MEMS sensors such as accelerometers, pressure sensors, motion sensors, or orientation/impact detection devices
- Experience using oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, RF power meters, frequency counters, data loggers, or similar electronic test equipment
- Experience with soldering, PCB rework, wire modifications, test leads, small components, or component-level troubleshooting
- Ability to review schematics and PCB layouts to understand signal paths, power rails, RF sections, sensor interfaces, connectors, and test points
- General understanding of hardware design best practices, including grounding, decoupling, power supply stability, RF layout considerations, ESD protection, battery loading, component derating, and manufacturability
- Knowledge of PCB assembly and electronic manufacturing processes
- IPC-A-610 or IPC J-STD-001 certification
- Experience working within ISO 9001 or another quality management system
- Experience performing RF range testing, environmental testing, battery-life testing, reliability testing, or failure analysis

Desired Skills

- Strong troubleshooting and analytical abilities
- Strong mechanical aptitude
- Ability to identify trends, recurring defects, and quality concerns
- Consistent attention to detail
- Dependable, organized, and self-motivated work style
- Ability to perform repetitive, lengthy, or highly structured validation tests without losing focus on quality
- Ability to interpret test results and recognize abnormal product behavior
- Ability to clearly communicate technical findings to Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, and management
- Willingness to learn specialized product testing procedures and product-specific RF behavior
- Commitment to producing high-quality, reliable life-safety products

Physical Requirements

- Ability to sit at an electronics workstation for extended periods
- Manual dexterity for handling small electronic components and assemblies
- Ability to distinguish colors for component identification and inspection
- Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds