Staff Automation and Validation Engineer

We are Generac, a leading energy technology company committed to powering a smarter world.

Over the 60 plus years of Generac’s history, we’ve been dedicated to energy innovation. From creating the home standby generator market category, to our current evolution into an energy technology solutions company, we continue to push new boundaries.

Generac is seeking a Staff Automation and Validation Engineer to lead the design and expansion automation to validate next-generation renewable energy and distributed energy products. This role will be a key technical leadership position within the system validation organization, responsible for building scalable automated test solutions that provide reliability assurance and performance optimization for complex electrical and embedded systems. This ecosystem includes hybrid inverters, battery energy storage systems, PV microinverters, smart disconnect switches, generators, and connected IoT ecosystem interactions.

This engineer will define and implement automation architecture, develop robust test frameworks, integrate lab equipment and hardware communication interfaces, and enable long-duration, repeatable, and traceable system-level validation. The role requires strong software development capability paired with hands-on experience testing power electronics, embedded controls, and hardware-software integrated systems. This validation will ensure compliance with industry standards and product requirements. You will work in a collaborative, high-tech environment and contribute to the success of our innovative energy solutions with your coding abilities and knowledge.

The ideal candidate will work out of Waukesha, WI and will serve as a technical leader driving automation strategy, mentoring engineers, and partnering cross-functionally with firmware, hardware, systems, quality, and product teams. Onsite with flexibility as needed.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

- Lead the architecture, development, and deployment of scalable automated test frameworks for repeatable, high-coverage, system-level validation of electrical systems in lab and hardware-integrated environments, focusing on power conversion, inverters, PV optimizers, generator interactions, and IoT devices.

- Integrate automation with lab instrumentation and test equipment including power supplies, electronic loads, grid simulators, DAQs, oscilloscopes, relays, thermal chambers, and communication interfaces.

- Develop software for test orchestration, equipment control, data acquisition, fault injection, diagnostics, and automated reporting and visualization.

- Build and maintain automation solutions that interface with hardware and embedded systems using field bus protocols.

- Troubleshoot and diagnose complex issues across software, hardware, communications, and test infrastructure; identify root causes and drive effective corrective actions.

- Further expand cloud data platform for testing data and provide recommendations for improvement.

- Collaborate cross-functionally with firmware, hardware, systems engineering, quality, and product teams to define requirements, improve test coverage, and support release readiness for product enhancements.

- Establish and promote best practices for automation architecture, code quality, test design, data management, and scalable validation processes.

- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers and technicians, helping grow the team’s automation capability and engineering rigor.

Minimum Qualifications:

- BS or MS in Electrical, Computer, or Software Engineering or related technical field.

- 8+ years of experience in designing automation systems or software for complex hardware-integrated products.

- Strong experience with Python-based automation development and object-oriented programming.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Master’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, Software engineering, or related field.

- Experience validating power electronics, battery energy storage systems, inverters, converters, grid-interactive products, industrial controls, automotive, and/or other hardware-intensive embedded domains.

- Experience serving as a technical lead, mentoring engineers, and driving automation strategy across multiple programs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

- Strong software development skills in Python and object-oriented design for automated test systems.

- Experience with additional tools and languages such as C#/.NET, SQL, Bash/Shell scripting, and automation-focused software design practices.

- Experience with communication protocols such as CAN, Modbus, Ethernet, RS232, RS485, and MQTT.

- Strong understanding of embedded systems, firmware interaction, device communications, and system diagnostics.

- Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and system architecture.

- Experience with development and infrastructure tools such as Linux, Git, Docker, Visual Studio, Jenkins, and Jira.

- Familiarity with cloud and data tools such as AWS, ClickHouse, Grafana, or similar platforms for test data management and visualization.

- Demonstrated ability to design testing, analyze results, and document findings in a clear, structured, and traceable manner.

- Ability to lead complex technical work independently while collaborating effectively across cross-functional teams.

- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical findings, risks, and recommendations clearly.

- Strong attention to detail and the ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

Physical Demands

: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear; and use hands to manipulate objects or controls. The employee is regularly required to stand and walk. On occasion the incumbent may be required to stoop, bend or reach above the shoulders. The employee must occasionally lift up to 25 - 50 pounds. Specific conditions of this job are typical of frequent and continuous computer-based work requiring periods of sitting, close vision and ability to adjust focus. Occasional travel.

“We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”