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QA Engineer/Trainer

Perrone Robotics, Inc.
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QA Engineer/Trainer – Autonomous Vehicle (AV)

  • Location: Charlottesville, VA (on-site), with travel to deployment sites for on-site commissioning and training 
  • Department: Engineering 
  • Reports To: VP of Projects
  • Employment Type: Full-Time or Part-Time; open to entry-level through experienced candidates

About the Role

Perrone Robotics is looking for a QA Engineer/Trainer, based out of our Charlottesville, VA office, to lead vehicle-level quality assurance, on-site field commissioning, and operator training across our AV Kit deployments. This role owns the full pre-launch to operations pipeline: validating vehicle behavior against expected outcomes, commissioning and route mapping new vehicles on-site, diagnosing and documenting issues found during test runs, and training the operators who will run the vehicle day to day. It combines hands-on field testing and sensor/hardware troubleshooting with structured QA documentation and operator training delivery.

We're open to candidates across a range of experience levels, from part-time or entry-level candidates looking to build hands-on field and QA experience, to experienced candidates ready to own the full deployment lifecycle independently. Scope and responsibility will be tailored to the candidate's experience.

 

What You'll Do

  • QA test execution: Run structured test missions on deployed vehicles, log actual versus expected behavior (stop point accuracy, intersection handling, obstacle response, braking behavior), and document findings for engineering follow-up.
  • Field diagnostics: Troubleshoot sensor and connectivity issues encountered during testing, including LiDAR/RADAR faults, network timeouts, and power issues, working directly with hardware and software engineering to isolate root cause and confirm fixes.
  • Log and data analysis: Review vehicle logs and mission data to identify unexpected behavior (stop overshoot, route deviations, sensor timeouts) and translate findings into clear, actionable engineering tickets.
  • Operational documentation: Write up expected versus actual vehicle behavior for edge cases, such as intersection handling and construction zones, so findings can be regression-tested and referenced by the team.
  • Field commissioning: Travel on-site for new vehicle commissioning, including route mapping, initial system checkout, and validation testing before a vehicle enters regular service.
  • Route and stop-point tuning support: Map new routes and tune stop-point braking and speed behavior on-site, working with engineering to adjust behavior based on field observations.
  • Operator training: Develop and deliver training for vehicle operators, covering day to day operation, data collection procedures, and how to respond to system faults or manual takeover situations.
  • Deployment lifecycle ownership: Own QA, field preparation, field testing, training, and operations launch activities for each new vehicle deployment, ensuring a consistent, repeatable rollout process.
  • Cross-team coordination: Work closely with engineering, hardware, and field teams during live demonstrations and go-live events, escalating and coordinating fixes on the spot when issues surface.

Experience Levels

This role is open at multiple levels. Where you land depends on your background:

  • Entry-Level / Part-Time: Run test missions and log findings under the guidance of a more experienced team member, assist with on-site commissioning and route mapping, help deliver operator training sessions, and build up field diagnostic skills over time. A great fit for someone early in their career who wants hands-on exposure to vehicle testing and field work.
  • Experienced / Full-Time: Own the full QA and commissioning process independently for new deployments, diagnose complex field issues with minimal oversight, design and deliver operator training curriculum, and serve as the primary point of contact for QA sign-off before a vehicle enters service.

Required Skills & Experience

  • Interest in or experience with QA, test engineering, or field testing, ideally with vehicles, robotics, or other safety-critical hardware and software systems. Hands-on experience is a plus but not required for entry-level candidates.
  • Comfortable reading and diagnosing issues from technical logs and system diagnostics, or eager to learn.
  • Interest in or experience with hands-on troubleshooting of sensors (LiDAR, RADAR) and network or connectivity hardware.
  • Comfortable presenting information clearly, whether that's delivering training or documenting test findings for others to follow.
  • Strong written communication skills.
  • Comfortable working in the field, including on-site commissioning and route mapping.
  • Able to travel regularly (roughly 10 to 30% of the time, varying by deployment schedule and role level) to support field commissioning, testing, training, and deployment events.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with autonomous vehicle, ADAS, or robotics testing.
  • Experience training transit or fleet operators on new equipment or technology.
  • Familiarity with government or transit contracting environments and formal QA documentation processes.
  • Associate's or Bachelor's degree in a technical field, or equivalent hands-on experience.

What Success Looks Like

  • Vehicle behavior is validated thoroughly before go-live, with issues caught and documented before they reach operators or customers.
  • New vehicles are commissioned and mapped on-site smoothly, with routes tuned and ready ahead of service start.
  • Operators are trained confidently and consistently, with clear reference materials they can return to.
  • Field issues are diagnosed quickly, with clear findings that speed up engineering's root cause work.
  • Each new deployment follows a consistent, repeatable process from field commissioning through training and operations launch.