---
title: 'Mechanical Hardware Test & Validation Engineer (All Levels) at ALSO'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-hardware-test-validation-engineer-all-levels-also-palo-alto-b3gpbnsy2ppn'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-05'
---

# Mechanical Hardware Test & Validation Engineer (All Levels) at ALSO

- **Company:** ALSO
- **Location:** Palo Alto, CA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-24
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-05
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/ridealso/44397e86-4749-40b7-b50b-bf8d69bafc78

## Job description

About ALSO. We’re ALSO, an electric mobility company originally conceived as a part of Rivian. We’re a passionate team of builders, dreamers, doers and innovators, focused on creating entirely new (not to mention, innovative and delightful) vertically integrated, small EVs designed to meet the global mobility challenges of today and tomorrow. Our mission is to inspire everyone to ride ALSO—replacing many local car, truck and SUV miles with ones on vehicles that are more affordable, more enjoyable and 10-50x more efficient.

Also is looking for a Mechanical Hardware Test & Validation Engineer (All -levels) to validate low voltage electromechanical modules for the next generation of light electric vehicles. This person will develop and execute test plans, perform physical testing, and analyze results. This role combines hands-on testing expertise with data analysis and technical documentation.

## What You Will Do

- Collaborate with design, systems and reliability engineers to generate test plans and take responsibility for the end-to-end execution, analysis, and reporting to critical stakeholders
- Execute testing on low voltage electromechanical modules including performance verification, reliability, durability, and environmental while maintaining detailed documentation of procedures and results
- Set up and operate test equipment including DAQs and various sensors to collect and monitor test data across different test conditions
- Coordinate with 3rd party vendors, contract manufacturers and test facilities.
- Analyze test results and prepare clear technical summaries documenting methodologies, observations, and conclusions
- Support the maintenance and calibration of test equipment while helping develop new test fixtures and setups
- Travel to visit test vendors up to 15% of the time

## What You Will Bring

- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field
- Demonstrated hands-on experience through academic, personal, or internship projects involving physical testing, including setup, instrumentation, data recording and teardowns.
- Understanding of data acquisition systems, sensors, test equipment, and experience with basic programming or scripting for data analysis (Python, MATLAB, or similar)
- Strong problem-solving abilities and eagerness to learn new testing methods and technologies with excellent documentation and communication skills
- Self-starter mentality with proven ability to take initiative on projects

The salary for this position ranges from $100,000 to $215,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications.

Perks & Benefits:

- Robust health coverage — excellent health, dental, and vision insurance covered up to 100% by ALSO, with FSA & HSA options
- One Medical membership and dedicated insurance advocates
- Rich fertility and family-building benefits with Progyny
- Flexible time off
- 401(k) match

Why ALSO. We’re passionate about helping the world find a better way to get there—wherever it is you’re headed. We’re located in the heart of Silicon Valley and have brought together a world-class team from some of the biggest brands in the technology, automotive, cycling, outdoor recreation and retail spaces. Together we’re working hands-on to imagine, design and build an entirely new solution to a global set of transportation challenges.

## About ALSO

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: ALSO is an electric mobility company designing and building small, vertically integrated electric vehicles for moving people and goods, originally incubated within Rivian.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series C, Unicorn)
- **Headquarters**: Palo Alto, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2025
- **Founders**: Not publicly disclosed; the company was formed as a stealth team within Rivian before spinning out as an independent entity.

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Alternative Fuel Vehicle Manufacturing / Electric Mobility
- **Target customers**: B2C (urban consumers) and B2B (logistics, delivery, and transportation partners)
- **Mission**: To build the world’s best small vehicles for moving people and goods, driven and autonomous, with a focus on sustainability and rethinking transportation from first principles.

## Products & Services
Based on publicly available information, ALSO has not yet announced specific product names beyond the “TM” and “TM-” references on its website. The company is developing a vertically integrated technology platform that spans motors, batteries, electronics, and software. Its product lineup includes small EVs for both consumer and commercial use, with a flagship vehicle set to launch in early 2026.

- **[Flagship Small EV (unnamed)]**: A vertically integrated, small electric vehicle for urban and commercial use. It combines in-house powertrain, battery, electronics, and autonomy software. Launch expected in early 2026, initially in the U.S. and Europe. [ridealso.com](https://ridealso.com/pages/news)
- **Commercial Platform**: ALSO works with logistics, delivery, and transportation partners to deliver custom solutions at scale. [ridealso.com](https://ridealso.com/pages/company)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: $1–2.5B (unicorn status) as of March 2026 (latest valuation per Dealroom). [dealroom.co](https://dealroom.co/companies/ridealso-com/)
- **Total Funding**: $505M across four rounds.
  - Corporate Round (Feb 2025) – 1 investor
  - Series B (Mar 2025) – $105M led by Eclipse
  - Venture Round (Aug 2025) – $200M led by Greenoaks
  - Series C (Mar 2026) – $200M led by Greenoaks, with participation from other investors
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Eclipse Ventures, Greenoaks. ALSO works with commercial partners in logistics and transportation sectors.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 290.9% year-over-year to 205 employees (LinkedIn, as of mid-2026). The company is actively hiring 48 open positions across engineering, product, and operations. It operates in five countries (U.S., Taiwan, U.K., South Africa, China). Strong talent inflow from Rivian (56 employees), Tesla, Apple, and Cruise. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ridealso)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Vertically Integrated Technology**: In-house development of motors, batteries, electronics, and software enables a tightly optimized, high-performance EV platform.
- **Rivian Pedigree**: Originally incubated within Rivian, benefiting from automotive rigor and advanced software/autonomy expertise.
- **Focus on Small EVs**: Addresses a rapidly growing market segment where 80% of car trips are under 15 miles, with urban population projected to reach 7 billion by 2050.
- **Strong Financial Backing**: $505M in funding from top-tier investors, providing ample runway for product launch and scaling.

## Strategic Focus
- **Product Launch**: Introduce the flagship small EV in early 2026, first in the U.S. and Europe, then globally.
- **Commercial Expansion**: Deepen partnerships with logistics, delivery, and transportation companies to scale custom vehicle solutions.
- **Technology Platform**: Continue to advance in-house autonomy, sensing, and connectivity features to differentiate the user experience.
- **Talent Growth**: Rapidly hiring across engineering, design, and operations to support product development and future scaling.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven Culture**: Employees are described as “builders, technologists, designers, and dreamers” focused on creating sustainable, delightful mobility.
- **High-Growth Environment**: Headcount has tripled year-over-year, offering early employees significant impact and career acceleration.
- **Top-Tier Team**: Colleagues come from Rivian, Tesla, Apple, Cruise, and other elite companies, fostering a culture of craft and excellence.
- **Technical Depth**: Opportunities to work on cutting-edge EV hardware, software, autonomy, and battery systems. Open roles include Senior Software Engineer (ML), Motor Controls Engineer, Battery Design Engineer, and Staff Reliability Engineer.
- **Office Locations**: Hubs in Palo Alto (vehicle engineering, software, design), Seattle (customer experience & commerce), and Taichung, Taiwan (supply chain & logistics). The work policy is not explicitly stated but likely hybrid or office-first given the hardware focus.
- **Perks**: Not publicly detailed, but as a well-funded unicorn, competitive compensation and equity packages are standard.

## Sources
1. [ridealso.com](https://ridealso.com/pages/company)
2. [ridealso.com](https://ridealso.com/pages/news)
3. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ridealso)
4. [dealroom.co](https://dealroom.co/companies/ridealso-com/)
5. [ridealso.com](https://ridealso.com/)

## Other roles at ALSO

- [Sr Manager, Real Estate and Workplace](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-manager-real-estate-and-workplace-also-palo-alto-s8dwe7sz4k1r) — Palo Alto, CA
- [Staff Manufacturing Engineer, Vehicle Assembly & Test](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-manufacturing-engineer-vehicle-assembly-test-also-palo-alto-d7w575xq2qqe) — Palo Alto, CA
- [Staff Embedded Validation & Tools Engineer - OTA](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-embedded-validation-tools-engineer-ota-also-palo-alto-x1vx0k624g1m) — Palo Alto, CA
- [Senior Software Engineer, Mapping](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-mapping-also-palo-alto-vv0qhc2sfeec) — Palo Alto, CA
- [Staff Validation & Tools Engineer - Embedded Firmware](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-validation-tools-engineer-embedded-firmware-also-palo-alto-a0kr06v4nn5n) — Palo Alto, CA
- [Staff Control Platform and Verification Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-control-platform-and-verification-engineer-also-palo-alto-a2ww629446rs) — Palo Alto, CA
- [Staff Wire Harness Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-wire-harness-design-engineer-also-palo-alto-4rnzsx0syfrj) — Palo Alto, CA
- [Staff Actuator Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-actuator-design-engineer-also-palo-alto-zp6wkknpkm2s) — Palo Alto, CA
- [Senior Staff Global Supply Manager, EE and Semiconductor](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-staff-global-supply-manager-ee-and-semiconductor-also-palo-alto-7wm92pzrqwyf) — Palo Alto, CA
- [Commercial Fleet Service Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/commercial-fleet-service-technician-also-seattle-hq0pfwb3a33g) — Seattle, WA