Contract Test Lead (ATE)

Contract Test Lead (ATE) Cambridge | Hybrid (3 days on site) Contract: 2 Years, Inside IR35 Rate: Flexible Fancy owning the test equipment strategy for a connected hardware product that's just stepping up from R&D into…

Inside IR35 Hybrid Engineering
Pay rate £50 – £65/hour
Contract type Contract
Posted 26 September 2026

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About this contract

Contract Test Lead (ATE)
Cambridge | Hybrid (3 days on site)
Contract: 2 Years, Inside IR35
Rate: Flexible

Fancy owning the test equipment strategy for a connected hardware product that's just stepping up from R&D into full-scale manufacturing?

We're working with a fast-growing connected-device business building advanced IoT hardware (electronics, embedded software, mechanical and connectivity all in one product) as it scales from development into volume production. They need an ATE Technical Lead to own Automated Test Equipment across its full lifecycle, working closely with an overseas manufacturing partner on production readiness, and collaborating with engineering teams spread across several international sites.

What You'll Bring

Several years of hands-on ATE work covering integration, validation, deployment and ongoing production support
A track record of leading technical projects within a multidisciplinary engineering or manufacturing setting
Comfortable getting into the detail of hardware, embedded interfaces, networking and instrumentation
Practical background with NI TestStand or a comparable automated test platform
Python skills applied to test automation, tooling and data processing
A sharp analytical approach to chasing down test failures and improving yieldAlso Valued

Comfort in Linux environments, using command-line tools and querying SQL databases
Some exposure to manufacturing data pipelines or engineering databases
Familiarity with common embedded/instrumentation protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, Ethernet, etc.)
An eye for fixture design, tester safety and calibration in a production setting
Prior experience liaising with contract manufacturers and vendors on tester or prototype procurementIf you enjoy being the technical anchor between engineering and manufacturing, this is a role where that ownership is real, not nominal.

Keen to discuss further?
Option 1: Click the apply button (don't worry, we'll discuss your CV before submitting).
Option 2: Drop me a message on LinkedIn (Rachel Bush – SoCode Recruitment)

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